Rajasthan film city project runs into rough weather

Jaipur, Jan 4 (IANS) An ambitious film city project proposed in the Pink City has been stalled due to differences between the Rajasthan government and an Australian firm that had shown interest in setting it up.

Australia-based Movie World, which made a presentation to Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje and senior state government officials here in July last year, wants an official assurance that the project would be given to them once they complete a survey and prepare a detailed project report.

The company says the survey and report would cost them over Rs.25 million, which it is not willing to spend if it is not ultimately awarded the project.

But the state government is not ready to give any guarantees.

'We can not give an assurance to this effect. Things can only be decided after seeing the project report,' officials of the state's industry department told IANS.

The project report is supposed to include a detailed description of the model, scale, size and design of the film city.

Movie World had proposed to set up a studio, transmission centre, film processing labs, park, animation centre, theme park, hotels of different categories, play grounds and sites for indoor and outdoor shoots to be developed in the film city.

The city was slated to be developed on a build, operate and transfer (BOT) basis on 1,000 acres of land in the Jamdoli area of the state capital.

With unique features like a TV training institute, an art and craft museum, a Rajasthani bazaar and different technical clubs, the proposal has the potential to create about 5,000 new jobs in the state.

Rajasthan, with its rich history and architecture and its picturesque locations, has always attracted filmmakers from all over the world.

Classics like 'Mughal-e-Azam' were shot in Deeg Palace, Bharatpur and in the famous Sheeshmahal of Amber Palace here.

Endless scenes of sand dunes, drying chillies and village locations are commonplace for films with a rural setting. Even blockbuster television serials like 'Tipu Sultan' had Rajasthan as their backdrop.

Hollywood has not missed the exotic locations of Rajasthan either. The James Bond thriller 'Octopussy' was shot in Udaipur, apart from films like 'Far Pavilions', 'Heat and Dust' and 'Holy Smoke'.