After a wait of nearly 15 years, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation and the National Film Development Corporation of India (NFDC) have collaborated to open a film and cultural centre to promote cinema and showcase independent films for adults and children at a prime location in Bandra (West).
The centre, which is primarily a children's theatre, will be given on lease to NFDC by the BMC for 30 years. The latter shall be responsible for repair and upgrade of the premises.
Congress corporator from Bandra (West) Asif Zakaria, along with locals, has been fighting on the issue for the last two years. "It was sad to see the theatre lying shut for so many years. The builder had built it and handed it over to the BMC. But as the civic body did not have the expertise to run a theatre, NFDC was approached," Zakaria said.
NFDC will be exhibiting films along with educational and promotional activities for the growth of cinema. "The centre will be equipped with an exhibition hall, a 100-seater digital cinema, a reading and research library, a bookshop and a cafeteria. Children of municipal schools too can come here to see movies," Zakaria informed.
In an official ceremony on Friday, municipal commissioner Sitaram Kunte handed over the theatre's keys to NFDC managing director Nina Lath Gupta.
Kunte said, "We liked their idea of revamping an existing non-operational theatre and opening a unique film hub that will encourage greater interest in good cinema and contribute to the growth of the Indian film industry."
"We are confident that going forward this Centre will emerge as a hub for the film fraternity and cinephiles to interact and, thereby, imbibe a deeper appreciation of films," said Gupta.
An advisory committee will be created, it will be involved in recommending programmes, suggesting time frames and priorities for the implementation of approved plans and programmes, monitoring and conducting evaluation of the programmes, and recommending procedure for change as per the evaluation, and investigating the need for new programmes.
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