BHUBANESWAR: Odisha will soon have a state-of--art film city, a one-point destination for filmmakers, close to Chilika Lagoon. The project is brainchild of Sujoy Mukherjee, son of yesteryear actor Joy Mukherjee. Conceived as a city away from city, the film city will offer filmmakers from far and wide, the best of locations from around the world recreated for shooting purposes, studios for post production works, a 100-celebrity residential arena, amusement park, golf course, horse racing and virtual airports.
Spread over 650 acre in Khallikote, “bhumi pujan” ceremony of the film city is scheduled on April 16. The project has been conceptualized with the idea of drawing more and more filmmakers to work at one place from start to finish. Besides, the place will be a melting point of celebrities from all spheres, film stars to sports persona who will be provisioned with luxurious apartments to spend time. People visiting the place will have an opportunity to spend time with these celebrities. It will also be developed as a tourist destination.
Speaking exclusively to this paper, the actor-entrepreneur Sujoy said, choosing Odisha came naturally to him and his friend Dr Vinit, a fitness expert, who is partnering in the endeavour, as the property was there and it needed to be put to proper use.“Odisha is a beautiful place and has most amicable people. This destination is pristine given its tourism potential. But we would need support of the government to make it world class,” said Sujoy, adding such places will be a boon for the entertainment industry, both film, television and web, in difficult times like Covid when restrictions keep projects held up for producers.
Planned to be a Rs 20,000 crore project, the film city plans to replicate the best locales from India and other countries including India Gate, Taj Mahal, Eiffel Tower to Statue of Liberty spread throughout the landscape.“This place will not only be the first celebrity destination point and the best film city in the country but also provide employment opportunities to people of the State leading to development of the area and increasing tourism potential,” Sujoy pointed out.
Sujoy and Vinit, who hails from Odisha, will be meeting the senior officers of the State government soon to chalk out the detailed modalities and seek help. A group of producers from Bollywood, in 2016, had turned up at the Make In Odisha Conclave to explore possibilities of setting up a film city in the State. The group comprising Mushtaq Nadiadwala and Ketan Desai had also held talks with the then tourism minister Ashok Chandra Panda and Secretary GK Dhal about the prospects of setting up the film city near Chilika lagoon.