It's
Panaji, for the Int. film fest
Sandesh Prabhudesai
24 August 2003
Panaji to Fort Aguada, crossing over picturesque river Mandovi,
will be the permanent venue for the International Film Festival,
in India.
The Film Advisory Council, along with Information and Broadcasting
Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, has now confirmed it, after
the final inspection conducted here since yesterday.
If possible, the Bollywood veterans plan to launch the first
such festival in Goa, by December next year.
The peaceful capital city of Goa has almost been unanimously
favoured by even the veterans in the Bollywood, may it be
Yash Chopra, Shekhar Kapoor, Bobby Bedi, L Suresh or Pawan
Chopra.
"The Goa International Film Festival will be a leap
forward in our consistent efforts to promote the Indian film
industry at international level", said veteran film producer
and director Shekhar Gupta.
For the I&B minister, however, it is just not the film
industry that would get the boost. "I want to project
Goa as the vibrant symbol to convey India's creativity",
quipped Prasad.
To facilitate the infrastructure, his central government
has even promised a world-class convention centre, on the
Fort Aguada plateau, across the river Mandovi.
In fact the Bollywood veterans have even suggested to make
best use of the water bodies to transport the delegates to
the venue in speed boats and hovercrafts rather than by road,
from the star hotels lined up along the northern coast, from
Sinquerim, Calangute and Baga.
"We will provide best facilities in the quickest possible
time", assures Goa chief minister Manohar Parrikar, including
upgradation of the beautified Panaji city, his home constituency.
The Kala Academy complex, designed by a renowned architect
Charles Correia, would be probably the central venue for the
festival that would provide the major theatre with around
1500 seats.
Two multiplexes with 8 to 10 small theatres and other infrastructure
for the Broadcasting Congress and Music Congress, Film Bazaar,
animation studio and all such necessary infrastructure would
be built around it.
The Indian Film industry worth USD 1.2 billion, producing
world's largest number of 1000 films in 30 languages annually,
is expecting a big boost with the permanent centre.
"Goa will be ultimately be the centre of the Indian
film industry", feels the union minister, while none
of the Bollywood veterans disagree with him.
"It is going to be an inspiring experiment for all of
us", quips Kapoor.
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