National Museum of Indian Cinema seeks artefacts, memorabilia from film industry

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], Jan. 10 : Countdown for the opening of National Museum of Indian Cinema (NMIC) at the films division premises in Mumbai has begun.

The Museum Advisory Committee chaired by veteran film maker Shyam Benegal has made a fervent appeal to people associated with the film industry to come forward and donate rare artefacts, vintage instruments and other memorabilia to the National Museum, which chronicles the century old journey of cinema in India.

The Museum Advisory Committee met in Mumbai and gave its nod for the thematic display in the phase II of the museum.

National Council of Science Museums, Kolkata, under the Ministry of Culture, is curating the museum. "The government has attached enormous importance to NMIC, to build it as a platform to present various facets of Indian cinema," said Information and Broadcasting secretary Ajay Mittal.

NMIC is conceived as a two phase museum. Phase I is housed in the heritage building- Gulshan Mahal, mostly displaying static artefacts and telling the story of Indian cinema in a chronological form.

Phase II of the Museum, being housed in the modern building will sport over 40 interactive galleries devoted to cinema across India, journey of Indian cinema from silent era to talkies, technology and creativity in cinema as well as a Children's activity gallery.

"A visit to the film museum should be an engrossing experience and we should have a number of interactive sections, where viewers can watch clips from classics, listen to rare recordings or learn about how cinema was made in the bygone era," said Benegal.

NMIC, when inaugurated will be the first of its kind national film museum in India..

Source: ANI