Karnataka to develop film city in Mysuru, eyes revival of cinema capital legacy
Projected to be built via Public-Private Partnership model, an expression of interest will be issued as soon as earmarked land in Himmavu village is fenced.
Mysuru has served as a filming destination for renowned directors such as Raj Kapoor, Mani Ratnam, Manmohan Desai, P Vasu, and Bharathiraja.
The 1940s also witnessed Hollywood movies being filmed here. It was a favourite haunt for acclaimed actors such as MGR, Rajkumar, NTS, Rajanikanth, Amitabh Bachchan and others. Recently, a portion of Rajanikanth's Jailer-2 movie was shot near Bilikere, on the Mysuru-Madikere road.
The Mysuru Premier studio - a famous studio till the early 80's, where majority of the south indian films were shot, has shut its doors. This has widened the scope for the need of a film city as it is difficult to shoot movies in cities like Chennai, Hyderabad, Mumbai and Bangalore, mainly because of logistics and other reasons, many experts contended.
The Kannada film industry, which produces about 120 films annually, and attracts at least 60 producers and directors, needs a film city with the best facilities on the lines of Ramoji Film City and Jubilee Hills.
Noted film director Rajendra Singh Babu said that Delhi is the national and political capital, Mumbai is the financial capital, while Mysuru needs to be developed as the cinema capital of the country.
He, along with a few other producers, met Chief Minister Siddaramiah in Mysuru, and requested to develop Mysuru as a film capital that will result in a boost to tourism and generate jobs. He said that Mumbai is no longer safe for leading Hollywood stars as most cities are burdened with rapid urbanisation and traffic congestion.
Mysuru, with lesser traffic, 250 locations within a 15 km radius, 16 palaces, various rivers, reservoirs and wild sanctuaries, will be the most desired destination in the country.
He said that the blueprint for the film city would be prepared, and it would be built in phases. The film city will have a railway track, runway, golf course, ponds, lakes, a palace, and other necessities required for a shoot. There are many locations like Srirangapatna, Melukote, KRS dam, Mysuru Zoo, Chamundi Hills, Nagarahole, Bandipur, Nanjangud, Talakadu, B R Hills, Kapila and Cauvery riverbed, where many movies can be filmed.
Expansion of the airport, a 10-lane express highway between Mysuru-Bengaluru, an increase in frequency of trains, and a reduction in travel time will make many look up to Mysuru as an ideal destination to shoot films, said travel agent Revanna.
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