Filmistan to give way to luxury homes

Owners of iconic Goregaon studio say running it is not viable anymore; plan to sell or develop prime plot into residential or commercial space

Filmistan to give way to luxury homes

Owners of iconic Goregaon studio say running it is not viable anymore; plan to sell or develop prime plot into residential or commercial space

VALENTINE'S DAY proved to be a sad one for Bollywood as news trickled out that the famous Filmistan Studio in Goregaon will soon give way to a residential or commercial project.

According to the owners, running the studio, where films like Paying Guest were shot (see box), is no longer a viable business proposition.

Owners of the studio say it doesn't generate enough revenue but selling the property can fetch anywhere between Rs 600 and Rs 1,000 crore

ML Gupta, MD, Kamanwala Housing Construction Limited, which co-owns the Filmistan studio along with Aspin Property Limited, said they could get a good price for the four-and-a-half acre plot on which the studio stands.

"The studio doesn't generate enough revenue anymore. The property, however, is huge and could fetch anywhere between Rs 600 and Rs 1,000 crore," he said.

Gupta did not specify who they would sell the land to. "A residential as well as a commercial project could come up there. It can be any builder. We might even develop it ourselves."

The owners have been reluctant to allow shoots in the studio for some time now.
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"Jhalak Dikhhlaja is the only show that is being shot there and the studio is made available to them only on Wednesdays and Thursdays. The studio is usually shut the rest of the week," said an industry insider.

Reactions

Yesteryears actress Asha Parekh, who shot many films in Filmistan, called the day an unfortunate one for the film industry.

"Studios are shutting down anyway. People now go to Film City for all their shoots. Nothing can be done about it, however, as studios are struggling to find business."

Film journalists, too, expressed shock at the news and said they would miss the studio.

Senior film journalist Upala KBR, who has visited Filmistan on several occasions, said "Filmistan makes me nostalgic.

I have met so many stars there Salman, Shah Rukh, Sanjay and so many others. They would sit there on the sets, chatting and having food."

Films shot
Some of the movies that were shot at Filmistan:
Dooj Ka Chand (1964), Babar (1960), Khoobsurat Dhokha (1959), Maine Jeena Seekh Liya (1959), Sanskar (1958), Champakali (1957), Paying Guest (1957), Tumsa Nahin Dekha (1957), Heer (1956), Durgesh Nandini (1956), Ham Sab Chor Hain (1956), Abe Hayat (1955), Bhagwat Mahima (1955), Munimji (1955) Jagriti (1954), Nagin (1954), Nastik (1954), Shart (1954), Anarkali (1953), Anand Math (1952), Shabistan (1951), Sargam (1950), Shabnam (1949), Do Bhai (1947),
Shikari (1946), Eight Days (1946)