Kolhapur film body dissolution pains cineastes

The state government's decision to dissolve Kolhapur Chittranagari Mahamandal (KCM), a statutory corporation formed for the establishment of a film city in Kolhapur, has created a stir among various constituents of the Marathi film industry.

In response to the discontent, Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh has clarified that though KCM has been dissolved, the Kolhapur Film City project would be completed under the management of the Goregaon Film City.

He assured that all facilities and funds for the development of the project would be provided. Ajay Sarpotdar, president of the Akhil Bharatiya Chitrapat Mahamandal (ABCM), a representative body of the industry, said that ABCM would resort to agitation if the government fails to expedite the formation of the film city at Kolhapur as per its earlier decision.

"Even if its management has now been given to the Goregaon Film City, we expect that the project should be given adequate development funds," said Sarpotdar.

Kolhapur is a well-known production centre for Marathi films. The city has a high tradition of producing Marathi films for the last eighty six years.

In this period, stalwarts in the field nurtured and glorified the Marathi film industry. In this historical background, the state government decided to establish an independent film city in Kolhapur and formed KCM in 1984.

Subhas Bhureke, a Marathi film director and vice-president of ABCM, said the committee appointed by the state government should have considered the potential of Kolhapur as a historical centre for the development of KCM.

"After forming KCM and acquiring 75 acre at the outskirts of Kolhapur, the state government did not provide funds in time. Now, the government or Goregaon Film City should provide funds for developing the film city without any further delay," Bhureke said.

Can land acquired for a particular project be auctioned after cancelling the project, as recommended by the government-appointed committee? This question was raised by the Morewadi gram panchayat which gave its land for the specific project.

The panchayat has now decided that if the film city project is cancelled, the land should be returned to the panchayat.