Chalsa to get new look, film city in the offing

Santanu Saraswati

Tollywood is waiting, as Zee is yet to kick off its proposed film-city project in New Theatre studio campus. But the lash green tea gardens of Dooars is all set to get a film city—north Bengal’s very own—soon at Chalsa.

State backward class welfare minister, Jogesh Barman, told Hindustan Times: “The work for developing the upcoming film city has already started. It will cater not only to the directors and film producers of Bengali film industry, at the same time would help the economy of this region growing. Directors and producers from other states will come here to shoot their films and local will be getting jobs.”

According to the minister, the proposed project, to be developed by Vibgyor Properties Limited is coming up on 90-acres of land, just 70 kilometres away from the New Jalpaiguri station or a one-and-a-half hour journey from the Bagdogra airport on right side of the Tanaporen Bridge.

Apart from the lush green surroundings, the site has the advantage of having two rivers—Jaldhaka and Diana. The film city, scheduled to e completed by 2011, will be having facilities for both indoor and outdoor shootings. “There will be everything—from mini airport lounge, hospital, a small township, sound recording systems and office buildings--the basic infrastructures required for a film to shoot. There will be resorts for hero, heroine, main actors and actresses, producers, directors, and budget hotels for technicians and other ground staffs. The lush green Chalsa forest just three kilometres away from the film city and the rivers will cater to the need of outdoor shootings. For indoor shoots, about 45,000 square feet space is being developed. Here, the ceilings will be as high as 80 feet to facilitate aerial shooting,” managing director, Vibgyor Properties Limited, Raja Bhadra, told Hindustan Times.

Though the managing director declined to divulge the amount of investment to pour in for this project, minister’s office confirmed that the company would be investing Rs 400 crores for building this dream project. The company didn’t face problem in acquiring 90 acres of land. While a large portion of this land was purchased directly from the landowners, few leasehold lands have been transferred in the name of the company. Vibgyor is just waiting for the state land and land reforms department’s clearance for this negligible portion of transferred leasehold lands. “We are optimistic about this clearance. The project will provide employment in the tune of at least few hundreds to local unemployed youths,” the managing director added.

The film city is expected to meet the local film producers a relief, at least for them who have to take their whole unit to other state for making a film, just because this state, irrespective of having mountains, forests and ocean—lack infrastructures for producing a film. The state government showed interest as this project will be providing employment to North Bengal youths—the area which have very little scope for generating new employments. “A industry, whatever might be its type, will help developing more hotels and resorts in and around this region. This will be an additional benefit for the people of the region,” Barman added.

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