`Innovative Film City' to become operational by April next

`Innovative Film City' to become operational by April next

The Hindu

`Work on the first phase taken up at a cost of Rs. 500 crore is nearing completion'

# Film City will have 25 mega attractions, including a film studio and a film institute
# Signature Mansions launched in honour of Rajkumar and Shivaji Ganesan

BANGALORE: The "Innovative Film City" project coming up on a 58-acre plot in Bidadi Industrial Area will be operational by April 2007, according to Innovative Studios Chief Executive Officer Sharavan Prasad.

Mega attractions

Film City will have 25 mega attractions, including a film studio, a film institute, mock sets, and a 21screen multiplex theatre.

The first phase of the project taken up at a cost of Rs. 500 crore is nearing completion, he told presspersons after a "Special delegates' meet" on the project here on Saturday.

Residential complex

Located between Mysore road and Bangalore-Mysore Infrastructure Corridor (BMIC), the project will feature a residential complex, IT parks, multiplex theatre, the country's largest amphitheatre that can accommodate 15,000 people, and amusement facilities such as Jurassic park, funplex, go karting, aqua kingdom and snow land for children.

Production house

Film City will function as an independent production house and undertake large and small screen films of various genres and language.

Formally launched during the "Special delegates' meet" were the project components on Ripley's Believe it Or Not, Guinness World Records, Louis Tussad's Wax Museum, the Innovative Film Academy and tie-ups between Innovative Film City and Trade and Investment, Queensland Government. For the Film Academy, an agreement was announced with the Australian Griffiths and Bond Universities.

Also launched were Signature Mansions in the names of the late Kannada actor Rajkumar and the legend of Tamil cinema Shivaji Ganesan.

A third Signature Mansion was launched in the names of the Bollywood couple, Ajay Devgan and Kajol Devgan.

Multiplex

All the three mansions will be part of Film City and will be ready by December 2007 in the second phase of the project. A multiplex will also be opened by that time, according to Mr. Prasad.

Ripley Entertainment Inc (REI), which has popular amusement parks in 10 countries, has its largest fan base in India though it is yet to set up shop in the country.

REI president Robert Masterson said that the company had become popular among Indians through its show on AXN channel "Ripley's Believe It or Not" and received maximum number of mails and faxes from India.

Amusements

Apart from "Believe It or Not", REI would also offer other famous amusements such as "Aquarium of the Smokies", which proclaimed "No aquarium gets you closer"; The Moving Theatre; Davy Crockett Mini Golf; Haunted Adventure; Old McDonalds Farm; Louis Tussaud's, Sight Seeing Trains; and the Guinness World Records.