Phalke’s studio

From PhalkeFactory

Kolhapur's film studios cry out for help By Asian News International Dec 15, 2005, 06:19


Kolhapur, October 26 (ANI) With the spotlight on the national award winning film, Shwaas, people have gradually become aware of the Marathi film industry's existence. Two studios -- Shalini and Jaya Prabha remain mute witnesses to the glory and awards that were received when the first film was shot inside the studios. Historically speaking, Kolhapur's studios have been on the cinematic map for giving India stalwarts like Baburao Painter, Bhalji Pendharkar, S Fatehlal, Damle and V Shantaram. And yet with all this technology, these establishments have missed out on the glory and the awards that should have come in their direction as a matter of right. "The studio were established in 1932 and started functioning from 1934. The king of the state established the studio", said Mangesh Linganoorkar, the manager of the Shalini Studio.

"Kolhapur is considered as Kalapur. Dada Saheb Phalke started a studio in Nasik and laid the foundation and carried on the work. He was the pioneer. All the work, which has been done, Kolhapur has played a major role in it", said Chandrakant Joshi, a senior film producer and the director of the Bhalji Pendharkar Kala Sanskruti Kendra. Everybody today prefers outdoor locations and with the age of modernization, digital and technical aspects of lighting have also improved to a great extent. So the film studios, though a grand thing, are now in a dilapidated condition, he adds. "From 1998 to 2002, there was no work and the studio was totally empty. Earlier, Marathi movies were shot in the studio. There were no Hindi movies shot here", said Linganoorkar.