Modernisation of Mumbai's Film City begins

The Film City of Mumbai, one of the most sought-after studio complex with indoor and outdoor facilities, will undergo massive modernisation at a cost of over Rs 2,600 crore.

The Maharashtra Government has set the ball rolling for the modernisation of Film City, that is internationally-known for the shooting of films, TV serials, reality shows and commercials.

The Film City is located at the Goregaon western suburbs of Mumbai and touches the Sanjay Gandhi National Park, the only national park of the world to be located within metropolitan limits.

A plan for the upgradation and modernisation of the Dadasaheb Phalke Chitranagari – as the Film City is formally known – was cleared in November 2017 at a high-level meeting presided over by Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

The Maharashtra Film, Stage & Cultural Development Corporation Ltd (MFSCDC) has invited bids, the last date of which has now been extended till December 12, 2018, officials said. The MFSCDC would develop it in the design, bid, finance, operate and transfer (DBFOT) basis.

The execution would be monitored by the Chief Minister's Office, and the ministries of Cultural Affairs and Tourism.

During the Magnetic Maharashtra mega event in February 2018, the Film City was showcased before the Indian and international investors and consortium.

Spread across 521 acres, the Film City has practically every possible terrain that one can ask for. It has hills, lakes, bridges, long and winding roads and green expanse. Located between the Western Express Highway and Vihar Lake it is in the vicinity of the Sanjay Gandhi National Park and the Aarey Colony.

The Film City has nearly 40 different outdoor locations, 16 well-equipped sound-proof studios and 80 air-conditioned makeup rooms. Recording studios equipped with state-of-the-art dubbing and mixing facilities and editing suites for 16/35 mm films are also available.

On a day, there are 30 to 35 scheduled shootings and approximately 1,200 films are made every year. Over 70% of Indian motion pictures, TV serials and commercials are produced in Mumbai and the Film City accounts for 30 to 40% of it.

There are several permanent locations such as a temple, church, court, police station, jail, 'chawl', ATM centre, car parking, shopping arcade, a log hut, cottage, tribal village and multipurpose building exterior suitable for college, hospital and hostel entrance.

It may be recalled that 20-acre land was allotted for setting up an institution in association with the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) and Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) through the PPP model. The Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC) would also be part of the project.