Chennai-based entertainment company Pyramid Saimira is planning to join hands with State-owned Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corporation (TIDCO) for developing a movie park in and around Chennai which could cost Rs 1000 crore. The proposed movie park will be similar to Ramoji Rao Film City in Hyderabad.
The announcement comes after TIDCO had said it is willing to set up the park if a private company comes forward to invest.
The new park was proposed by Confederation of Indian Industry’s (CII) Southern Region at the valedictory session of “India@75 TN Movie Park initiative” in Chennai last week.
Earlier, S Ramasundaram, chairman and managing director, TIDCO said that the state Government is willing to set up the park if it comes up through public-private partnership. He added, the erstwhile MGR Film City at Taramani did not take off properly.
“We welcome the idea and are ready to lend the film industry a helping hand. They (private investorS) should also identify the land,” said
Ramasundaram. Industry is asking the government to allocate 300 to 400 acre of land in around Chennai for the proposed park.
Speaking to Business Standard, K S Srinivasan, director and chief executive officer, Pyramid Saimira Production International said that his company is willing to be a partner with TIDCO on the project.
He added that he is planning to meet the TIDCO officials early next week to take it forward the project.
The paucity of sites within Chennai city amenable for shooting has also been cited as a reason for developing the proposed movie park.
The restriction by city authorities on the permitted time for shooting within city limits have further added to the issue to shortage of space.
The availablity of a full fledged movie park will also bring down the production cost. Srinivasan said his company is spending around Rs 2 to Rs 3 lakh every day during the outdoor shootings at Bangalore.
The proposed park will not only cater to shooting requirements, but will also be able to take up post-production works which are now going to countries like Thailand and Malaysia, he added.
T G Thyagarajan, managing partner, Satya Jyothi Films and co-chairman Taskforce on Tamil Nadu Cinema, CII - Tamil Nadu said that on any given day there are around 55 shootings taking places for serials and game shows. Similarly on an any given day 14 to 15 Tamil cinema shootings are taking place, most of which are now forced to be done outside Chennai.
L Suresh, president, South Indian Film Exporter’s Association said that in Chennai there were around 15 to 20 studious like Vagini, which was once considered as Asia’s largest studio with 24 floors, AVM with 12, Majestic, Shymala and others.
Currently there are only two AVM and Prasad Studios, rest of the studios has gone into the hands of real estate promoters.
