Rajendra Singh Babu’s call yesterday to make Mysore the venue for a Film City makes perfect sense. There are, according to Babu, 270 locations and locales of potential in and around our City.
Plus, there are rivers, forests, lakes, hills, palaces, etc, in an almost magical mix of the urban and the rural, the royal and the rustic. And there is the proximity to Bangalore, all of which makes the thought of a Film City so heady.
But much of all this has been around for centuries. We had one of the biggest studios in South India, Premier Studios, decades ago. And if the oldtimers can shed some light on this, there was one other studio before that, too.
So, who killed the studios?
One of Babu’ closest aides, a man who we shall call B but who is now an independent film maker himself, told me a simple story some months ago of how the decline began.
And it is a stunning story of how egos run (and ruin) the film industry.
Apparently, there was—there is—this huge Kannada star who once drove up in his car to a set on Premier Studio where his movie was being shot.
Basavarajaiah, the man who owned Premier, reportedly objected to the car being brought on to the set.
That’s it. The fuse had been lit.
The star threw a maha tantrum and ensured that all Kannada movie work was shifted out of Mysore to Madras. After which death for Mysore’s studios was not too far away.
As a chapter in Phillip Knightley’s memoirs Hack’s Progress is titled, interesting if true.
Krishna,
The other studio that existed in Mysore was known as Navajyothi Studios and was located in the same compound where the JSS School in Saraswathipuram stands today.
Mr. Babu’s intentions in suggesting that Mysore has the potential to become a big hub for film making may be sincere.
Don’t tell that we as Mysoreans want another 1500 cars, 57 generator vans, some 50 odd trucks lugging ‘filmi’ equipment and some strange looking and sounding and behaving men and women, all part of the hallowed kannada film industry plying the roads everyday.
Well, it’s another thing that I might, just might, chance upon one of my favourite actors in the world, near the Kukkarahalli Kere traffic junction- Jaggesh! He in his shining red Skoda Octavia and pitch dark goggles!
Point taken, but the point also to ponder is whether the “State” needs to be putting all its eggs in the IT basket. I mean, surely the government has a bounden duty to look for a more well-rounded development of the State? If it can allot hundreds of acres to IT companies and if it can allot hundreds of acres for the development of the so-called Special Economic Zones (SEZs), isn’t a government also morally bound to promote the arts by allotting a few hundred acres for a Film City? Between the high-security IT campuses which shout “get lost” from a mile and a buzzing Film City, I know where tourists would want to go.
Mr Babu’s call for a studio is a good one. If the idea gains momentum, it should result in the setting up of a Film City like RFC, Ramoji Film City at Hyderabad. And surely, this City will generate sizeable employment opportunity for My Sure ians……
It seems in late 60s or early 70s, Rajkumar had some tiff with Premier Studio and had sworn not to enter it…
Is it true?
Mr Babu’s suggestion deserves attention of those in power. Mysore still retains the scenic beauty and there are many such spots around. In the heydays of Navajyothi studio and Mahatma Pictures a number of Kannada films were made. Some of them like Harinis Jaganmohini became hits. When I was in Mysore, the sound recording unit of mahatma Picture was near our house in Lakshmi puramand we used to hear practising and recording of songs for the pictures churned out by Mahatma P. The tunes were copied without any compunction from popular hindi movie songs under direction of Hunsur Krishna Murthi
If Kannada Movie industry took its birth in Dharwad region it was nurtured in its infancy in Mysore by Mahatma pictures and Navajyothi studio. Lack of resources and finance did not deter them in their venture. Actor Kemparaj I am told was getting Rs 5000 per picture. That too if the picture did not flop
mysore being the cultural capital of Karnataka,It should have retained premier studio,Navajyoti studio and recording centre. as I read because of ones persons Igo the studio closed and business went to madras, Any way I wish this city soon get film city and provide job oppurtunities to persons working in film Industry.
mysore being the cultural capital of Karnataka,It should have retained premier studio,Navajyoti studio and recording centre. as I read because of ones persons Igo the studio closed and business went to madras, Any way I wish this city soon get film city and provide job oppurtunities to persons working in film Industry.