Film unit wrecks JJ sculptures

For nearly eight decades, replicas of Greek and Roman models were used for academic purposes at the Sir JJ School of Art near Crawford Market. It took just one film shoot to destroy them.

Four replicas, made of plaster of Paris, were damaged allegedly due to the negligence of a film unit, which shot on the college premises and studios between May 15 and June 6.

The institute has written a letter to the state Directorate of Arts informing them about the incident. “Permission for a shoot is always granted by the director and not school authorities,” a source said. “We would ask the film production unit to pay for the damages or repair the replicas.”

Sources said the film crew behaved irresponsibly. “They wanted to shoot indoors, so they were granted access to some studios. But neither did the crew bother to give an undertaking that they would not damage property, nor did the directorate ask for one,” the source said. The sculptures were three- to five-feet-tall and were delicate. Mahesh Pathak, secretary, higher and technical education, said: “I will have to find out the facts before commenting on the case."

Nobody from the film production unit was available for comment.