A 100 crore rupees gala to celebrate 100 years of Indian cinema

The Indian film industry has come a long way from 1913, when the release of the 16- minute silent movie, Raja Harishchandra, marked its birth. As the industry turns 100 in 2013, the government plans to organise a yearlong extravaganza of events to commemorate the occasion.

Sources say the government may earmark a budget of about Rs. 100 crore for the celebrations. Information and broadcasting minister Ambika Soni has already started a Rs. 660- crore National Film Heritage Mission to help resurrect and preserve old films in the digital format.

An official said the government “ wants to play the producer by funding the celebrations, while the film industry, cinema aficionados, and civil society will play the lead role”. “ The ministry would like to fund proposals that reflect the spirit of Indian cinema,” the official said.

A recent meeting by senior ministry officials threw up several ideas for the celebration, including a tableau on Indian cinema at the 2013 Republic Day parade, an exhibition train showcasing Bollywood, postage stamps and coffee table books.

“ Two committees would be set up to oversee the celebrations. One would be a national committee headed by Soni, which would include the chief ministers of movie- producing states such as Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal, along with eminent film personalities.

The second will be an implementation committee to help execute the ideas of the national committee,” a source said.