Balaji studio sealed
By: Ajit Joshi
February 14, 2005
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With the state government sealing seven studios of Sankraman Telefilms at Aarey Colony in Goregaon, the shooting schedule of Balaji Telefilms have been severely affected.
The studios which were taken on lease from the state government three years ago expired on February 12.
Said Umesh Yadav, general manager, Balaji Telefilms, "We wrote a letter to the government asking them to extend the lease, but as we haven't got any response.
When we went to the studio on the morning, we found it had been sealed.".
Balaji Telefilms is using four of the studios for shooting its serials. "We will have to shift the shootings which were on at Sankraman.
"The point is that we came here one year after Sankraman, which means that our lease period gets over on December 2005. We should be allowed to shoot," adds Yadav.
As of now, Balaji is shooting Kkyunki Saans bhi kabhi bahu thi, Kahani ghar ghar ki, K Street Pali Hill, Kusum, Kavyanjali and Kasauti Zindagi Ke at the studios.
Added Sanjay Bhatia, managing director of Sankraman studio, "Our equipment of about Rs 2.5 crore and that belonging to Balaji Telefilms is stuck inside the studios."
Said Dairy Development Minister Anees Ahmed from Nagpur, "We have decided not to extend the lease period, so we sealed the seven studios of Sankraman Telefilms."
Three years ago, the state government had leased Sankraman studios by inviting a tender notice, said Dairy Development Commissioner Baldev Chande.
"There must be instruments inside the studios and permission for removing them will be given. The government has decided not to lease these studios anymore," said Chande.
Mihir Bhutta, owner of Sankaraman who has taken these studios said, "We don't know why our studios have been sealed. Equipment worth Rs 2.5 crore is inside the studios."
There are 11 studios in Aarey colony at Goregaon. By way of tender notice, three years ago the state government had leased these studios.
Of these 11 studios, Mihir Bhutta acquired seven studios and the remaining four had gone to Ekta Kapoor's Balaji Telefilms.
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