Concrete measures considered to develop Vizag as a film hub
- Ganta Srinivasa Rao says that steps are on to bring back old glory of Film Nagar Centre
- Says that the centre will be utilised to train people in 24 crafts of cinema as well
- Discussions will be held with the Chief Minister and Deputy CM for allotment of land
Visakhapatnam: Filmmaker Allu Aravind is pretty much interested in setting up a studio in Visakhapatnam, said Bheemunipatnam MLA Ganta Srinivasa Rao.
After visiting the Film Nagar Cultural Centre in the constituency on Saturday, the MLA emphasised that the Andhra Pradesh government is keen on developing Visakhapatnam as a film hub.
Setting up of the Film Nagar Cultural Centre in Visakhapatnam itself is an indication of making Visakhapatnam into a film hub on a par with Hyderabad. More than utilising the cultural centre as a club, the idea is to make it into a training centre to provide skills in the 24 crafts of cinema, Srinivasa Rao informed.
If necessary infrastructure is developed for the film industry, Srinivasa Rao opined, many filmmakers and actors would evince interest in settling down in Visakhapatnam. “The government too is considering steps towards this direction,” the MLA underlined.
Even as there are Waltair Club, Century Club, East Point Golf Club, etc., dotting Visakhapatnam, the controversies that prevail in Film Nagar Cultural Centre do not exist anywhere else, the MLA observed.
Earlier, a land of 10 acres was allotted at Thotlakonda for the Film Nagar Centre. However, with objections being raised by the archaeology department, the allotment was cancelled, Srinivasa Rao recalled, assuring that soon a land will be reallotted for the purpose following discussions with Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and Deputy Chief Minister K. Pawan Kalyan.
Pointing out that the YSRCP had converted the Film Nagar Cultural Centre as a political rehabilitation hub, the MLA said efforts were to revamp it altogether and bring back its lost glory.
Membership fee will be fixed to make sure that it is affordable for the middle class and the centre will be operated sans any dispute, the MLA assured, stating that the old committee was replaced with the new one.
Speaking on the occasion, Visakhapatnam north MLA P. Vishnu Kumar Raju said he had an experience of serving as a president of Andhra Cricket Association and IT Association. “Keeping my previous experiences in view, I am contesting as a president of the Film Nagar Centre too,” he stated.
