Nearly two years after the High Court ruled against the demolition of Irram Manzil for construction of a new legislative complex, the old palace has sprung leaks, and vegetal growth has spread from the ceiling to the inside. As the cast and crew of a Telugu web series hustle around the vast complex, parts of the flooring are wrecked, while water has pooled from overnight rain. “It is a heritage building so we cannot carry on repair or maintenance without approval from heritage committee. Our staff is preparing estimates to take care of the building,” said the executive engineer responsible for the building.
The structure has become a site for movie and web series shooting as the rental fee is a low ₹ 10,000 per day. “They hire it for a week or 10 days, depending on the schedule and their needs. We insist on conditions that they do not damage the building while shooting,” said the official.
From outside, where the camera will pan on the palace, the building has a new archway, Roman columns and even insignia crafted out of wood, plaster of Paris and polystyrene foam. Two temporary shop like structures have been erected on either side of the entrance as part of the make-believe world.
“I visited the site today. Nails have been driven into the walls of the building and additional structures have been added, which I think will further harm the building. Why can’t we first restore the building before cashing it?” asked Anuradha Reddy of Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage.
“Last year when I visited, it was in a better condition than it was when I entered a month ago as part of a guided heritage tour. There were vines everywhere. I never knew it was so beautiful inside. If it is just restored and turned into a ticketed palace many people will be willing to pay to see it,” says Sanjay B, an architectural photographer.
The Irram Manzil was built by Fakhrul Mulk, a trained architect and a nobleman in the inner circle of Nizam in 1870. Post Independence, on June 25, 1951, the palace was taken over by the State government. Exactly 70 years later, the fate of the palace still hangs in the balance.
