Dadasaheb Phalke Nagar in Goregaon, popularly known as Film City, is set for a comprehensive revamp. The five-year project is expected to be carried out at a cost of ₹25 to ₹50 crore.
Film City officials said the Maharashtra Film, Stage & Cultural Development Corporation Ltd. (MFSCDC) has invited bids for the project and Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) led by Mukesh Ambani, Reliance Big Entertainment (RBE) led by Anil Ambani and Bhanot Infra Venture (BIV) have separately shown interest in the plan.
“This project will convert Film City into a world-class tourist spot along the lines of Universal Studios. The execution of the project would be monitored by the Chief Minister’s Office, and the ministries of Cultural Affairs and Tourism. Approximately ₹70 crore is generated annually at present and we hope to increase this after the project is complete,” Chandrakant Kolekar, deputy engineer, MFSCDC said.
The plan includes construction of 15 studios, eight village locations, 42 outdoor locations, post-production facilities, film training institutes, a museum, biodiversity parks, theme parks, food courts, a five-star hotel, a three-star hotel, dormitories, administrative offices and an amphitheatre.
An ambitious project called the ‘Indian Film Museum’ is also being planned to cherish the heritage of Film City, with films like Sholay , Krrish and Jurassic Park as some of the attractions. The MFSCDC hopes to revive interest among A-list filmmakers who abandoned the area years ago because the locations were over-exposed.
Film City was built in 1977 by the State government to provide facilities and concessions to the film industry. It has been the shoot location for many Bollywood films and television serials. In 2001, it was renamed Dadasaheb Phalke Nagar in memory of the Marathi producer-director-screenwriter who is considered the father of Indian film industry.
Currently, there are inadequate number of studio floors, backlots, storage facilities. Existing studios and structures are dilapidated and unsafe for work. There is no provision for in-house accommodation for crew based outside Mumbai and even post-production facilities are lacking, officials said.
