Will the long-awaited Film City project in Mysuru become a reality in the present tenure of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah?
The Kannada film industry is very hopeful this time as the land allotted for establishing the Film City comes under Varuna constituency represented by Mr. Siddaramaiah, near Mysuru. In his last term, the CM announced the project and allotted 120 acres of land at Immavu village for the State’s first all-in-one facility for film shooting.
As Mr. Siddaramaiah is preparing to present his first budget of the new government, all eyes are on him as the film fraternity anticipates that something big would emerge to realize Sandalwood’s ‘dream project’. In 2021, a sum of ₹100 crore was sought for the project but nothing was sanctioned.
A delegation of film personalities recently met Mr. Siddaramaiah in Bengaluru and apprised him of the status of the project. The delegation, led by director and producer S.V. Rajendra Singh Babu, urged the Chief Minister to give a fillip to the project.
The delegation included noted directors Girish Kasaravalli, T.N. Seetharam, Lingadevaru and Nanjunde Gowda, senior actors Srinivasamurthy, Vijayalakshmi Singh and others. Officials from the Information Department were also present.
Mr. Babu told The Hindu on the phone that the CM has promised to take up the project after the budget. “The Chief Minister told us that he will discuss the issue – and what needs to be done to bring it into a reality – after presenting the budget. We are hoping that the project will see a big boost under him.”
He said the project plan prepared by Ernst and Young Global Ltd. had already been presented when he was the Chairman of the Karnataka Chalanachitra Academy. “From the KIADB, the land was transferred to the Department of Information. The project did not see any major headway thereafter.”
The long-cherished dream of Sandalwood cleared the first step when the Siddaramaiah government handed over 100 acres of land at Immavu for Film City. The film industry wanted experts and talented designers, including those from Hollywood, to conceptualise the Film City as it was proposed to be developed as a ‘one-stop destination’ for the A to Z of film-making.
It was earlier proposed to be establish on a public-private partnership (PPP) model since private support was seen as key as the project involved a lot of money. “Like how Mumbai’s Film City is the life of Bollywood, Mysuru’s Film City should become a heart for Sandalwood in the years ahead,” Mr. Babu had said when the land was allotted.
All 23 film-making departments can be housed in the Film City, giving employment and livelihood to a lot of people, and improving the quality of film making.
The project has already been delayed due to confusion over locating the film city – whether in Mysuru, Bengaluru or Ramanagaram. Nearly 5,000 people can work at a time once the facility is established. Artists, technicians, workers and others can work in one facility for film making, the industry experts said.
Film City can boost tourism prospects in the region. Incentives to filmmakers as done in J and K, and U.P. can help promote the State, Mr. Babu held.
