BENGALURU: Kitty Koo is the director of New York Film Academy (NYFA) in Mumbai and the academy’s vice-president in South East Asia. On the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the institute she was in the city to promote its two short term courses among aspiring film-makers and actors in Bengaluru.
“Bengaluru is a very important city for us. It is a big IT hub with where there are surely a number of film enthusiasts. One of our institue’s alumnus, Michael Fontana, has recently made a sitcom based in Bengaluru called Breakfast in Bengaluru,” says Kitty.
NYFA opened its first office in Mumbai in March last year. It offers a four-week and an eight-week course in film-making and acting. The four-week courses costs `3.17 lakh while the latter costs `5.25lakh.
Since March around 50 students have passed out. Some of the institute’s well known alumni are Kangana Ranaut, Imran Khan, Sana Saeed, Athiya Shetty and Rakesh Varre, who played Setu Patti in Baahubali 2: The Conclusion.
“We will have some instructors from USA as well as some well known names in the industry in Bollywood such as Rahul Dholakia, the director of movies such as the Shahrukh Khan starer, Raees,” says Kitty
There were plans to start a branch originally in Greater Noida back in 2011 however Kitty says that plan did not fall through due to various concerns such as infrastructure and location. Kitty however says there are plans to start programmes for teenagers as well another one in photography. “We have a teen programme back in the USA that is very popular and we may start the same here as well,” adds Kitty.
NYFA has two branches in USA, and one each in Australia, Italy and in Mumbai, India.