Mumbai is set to strengthen its position as India’s entertainment capital with plans for a world-class Integrated Film and Television Media Hub at the Prasar Bharati campus in Malad. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has approved the creation of a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) jointly by the Maharashtra government and Prasar Bharati to drive the ambitious project.
The decision was taken during a review meeting on the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the participating agencies. The meeting was attended by Cultural Affairs Minister Adv. Ashish Shelar, Prasar Bharati CEO Gaurav Dwivedi, and senior representatives from the Maharashtra Film, Theatre and Cultural Development Corporation and MIDC.
The proposed development will be undertaken on approximately 150 acres of the 278-acre Prasar Bharati property in Malad. The project will be developed in collaboration with Chitrapat Nagri and is expected to create a modern ecosystem for film, television, digital content production and allied industries.
At present, large portions of the land fall under Non-Development Zone (NDZ) and Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) restrictions, limiting development potential. To facilitate the project, the state government will assist in obtaining statutory approvals, regulatory amendments and necessary changes to Development Control Regulations.
Chief Minister Fadnavis directed officials to appoint a consultancy firm to prepare a pre-feasibility report and implementation roadmap. He also instructed the formation of a joint working group comprising officials from both organisations to accelerate the preparation of the Detailed Project Report (DPR) and other technical requirements. The government has set a target of finalising the project components and development blueprint by the end of June.
The media hub is envisioned as a comprehensive entertainment and creative industries destination featuring advanced film studios, sound stages, hospitality infrastructure, IT and IT-enabled services facilities, tourism-related projects, and globally benchmarked training centres for film and music education.
The state also plans to collaborate with reputed international academic institutions to establish specialised training programmes, positioning the proposed media hub as a major centre for content creation, talent development and media innovation in India.
Source: Loksatta
