<p class="title">At a time when there were few film theatres and there was neither the lure of television, it was Girish Karnad who floated the Chitra Film Society (CFS), the first-of-its-kind institution in Karnataka.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Karnad set up the Society in 1971 in Dharwad along with his friends - Vijay Nilekani, the elder brother of Nandan Nilekani, and the late Prof Shafi Khan.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The idea behind the CFS was to introduce award-winning international and national movies to the people and create a platform for the budding filmmakers to interact with noted directors and producers.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Over the years, the CFS has grown by leaps and bounds with over 100 members. Every month, the Society is holding film festivals and screening non-commercial award-winning movies to the audience, free of cost.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Chitra Film Society secretary A M Khan told <span class="italic">DH</span> that Satyajit Ray started the first film society in Kolkata and inspired by this, Karnad set up CFS on same lines. This was the first film society in Karnataka, and Karnad brought several good movies to Dharwad through CFS.</p>.<p class="bodytext">While the 35-mm movies were being screened at Vijaya Talkies and Laxmi Talkies, 16-mm movies were screened at the auditorium of Department of Biology in Karnatak College, Dharwad.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Later, Karnad compelled Nandan Nilekani to contribute a hi-tech, full-fledged auditorium for cultural activities, and to screen the films of CFS. Consequently, Nilekani got it constructed at a cost of Rs two crore in the name of his grandfather, which now stands as Annajirao Shirur Ranga Mandir.</p>
<p class="title">At a time when there were few film theatres and there was neither the lure of television, it was Girish Karnad who floated the Chitra Film Society (CFS), the first-of-its-kind institution in Karnataka.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Karnad set up the Society in 1971 in Dharwad along with his friends - Vijay Nilekani, the elder brother of Nandan Nilekani, and the late Prof Shafi Khan.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The idea behind the CFS was to introduce award-winning international and national movies to the people and create a platform for the budding filmmakers to interact with noted directors and producers.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Over the years, the CFS has grown by leaps and bounds with over 100 members. Every month, the Society is holding film festivals and screening non-commercial award-winning movies to the audience, free of cost.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Chitra Film Society secretary A M Khan told <span class="italic">DH</span> that Satyajit Ray started the first film society in Kolkata and inspired by this, Karnad set up CFS on same lines. This was the first film society in Karnataka, and Karnad brought several good movies to Dharwad through CFS.</p>.<p class="bodytext">While the 35-mm movies were being screened at Vijaya Talkies and Laxmi Talkies, 16-mm movies were screened at the auditorium of Department of Biology in Karnatak College, Dharwad.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Later, Karnad compelled Nandan Nilekani to contribute a hi-tech, full-fledged auditorium for cultural activities, and to screen the films of CFS. Consequently, Nilekani got it constructed at a cost of Rs two crore in the name of his grandfather, which now stands as Annajirao Shirur Ranga Mandir.</p>
