Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Friday announced name of megastar Mithun Chakraborty, as the new cultural advisor to the state government.
He made this announcement while attending the foundation stone laying ceremony of “Uttam Kumar Film Centre” at New Town in the northern outskirts of Kolkata on Friday afternoon. The centre will be developed over a cost of Rs 25 crore, which the state information & cultural affairs department had already sanctioned.
Speaking on the occasion, the Chief Minister said that work of finalizing the design of the centre will be left to the experts from the Bengali silver-screen world and the state government under no circumstance will interfere in the matter.
“I feel that those who are associated with the sector should be given freehand to do that work. Our task is to provide support. We will not meddle in everything, since that is not desirable,” the Chief Minister said.
This proposed film center in New Town will be built modeled entirely on the existing Nandan Cultural Centre in Central Kolkata.
The entire infrastructure will be divided into three sections. The first section will house two cinema halls with a seating capacity of 750, a preview theatre, a food court, and parking facilities.
The second section will feature a 1,000-seat auditorium and an open-air theatre for cultural events. The third section will contain laboratories and studios dedicated to animation, visual effects, gaming, comics, extended reality, and film post-production.
The Chief Minister said that soil testing and site selection have already been completed “The Detailed Project Report process is underway. Construction agencies under West Bengal Housing Infrastructure Development Corporation will commence work as soon as the monsoon season ends,” the Chief Minister said.
The Chief Minister directed the state Information & culture secretary, Soumitra Mohan and WBHIDCO managing director, Bibhu Goel to meet with the centenary committee and finalize the designs.
Additionally, the Chief Minister said, during the event, that the film actor-turned-politician Mithun Chakraborty will act as the cultural advisor to the state government, prominent figures from Tollywood will be felicitated over the coming days, up to September 6.
The Chief Minister clarified that the government will not interfere in the selection process for this list of honorees.
“The committee of those from the silver screen industry will do that,” he said.
(IANS)
