Bhubaneswar will soon have an art theater like Nandan in Kolkata and Chitranjali in Thiruvananthapuram. The art theater is part of a series of infrastructure projects proposed by the public enterprises department to revive Kalinga Studios, originally planned as a creative hub for filmmakers but lying defunct for a few years now.
The old complex is being demolished and a new complex is to come up in its place, to be developed by the Odisha Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation (IDCO).
The proposals include setting up three studios, an open-air amphitheater, and an eco-park at an estimated cost of Rs 7 crore.
The art theater, a multipurpose cultural center, will cost Rs 3 crore and will have a seating capacity of 300, a stage with wings and green room, and parking facility for 100 vehicles.
The eco-friendly open-air amphitheater will have a seating capacity of 200, a stage, a green room and a partially covered portico. It will be constructed at a cost of Rs 50 lakh.
In addition, an eco-park will be developed over an area of five acres for outdoor shooting. Three new studios will also be developed at a cost of Rs 3 crore to promote local films and television programs.
We are hopeful of a revival once the proposals are approved.
B B Behra, managing director of Kalinga Studio
According to Vijay Arora, Public Enterprises Secretary, Odisha Film Development Corporation (OFDC), plans include a collaboration with Prasad Lab over 3 acres of land and development of a facility for film production. Digital film processing, visual and sound mixing, and animation studios may be some of the areas which might be explored.
The proposed projects will attract enthusiasts from not only this state but also neighbouring states to organize different cultural programmes like film festivals, drama, film premieres, among others. The main objective is to strengthen the studio’s financial health.
The projects will be financed by Odisha Small Industries Corporation (OSIC), which has sufficient corpus funds.
Kalinga Studio
The Kalinga Studio had been established in 1982 to promote films. By 2012, however, it had incurred losses amounting to Rs 322.36 lakh, primarily due to inadequate production of films and subsequent changes in film-making technology. The studio makes an annual income of Rs 20 lakh from existing infrastructure in the studio, most of which are in a bad condition.
Courtesy: Times of India
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