Madurai :
The nascent Saurashtra film industry in Madurai is all set to get another fillip. Buoyed by the response to Saurashtra movies made in Madurai, film buffs of the community have decided to launch the All India Saurashtra Film Chamber.
The inaugural event has been scheduled for February 23 in Madurai. “Lot of Saurashtra youth are interested in film making. Some of them have made films and many more are preparing to make films. We want to help them, impart knowledge about various aspects of film making, prune their skills and channelize their talents,” said S Rama Eswarlal, founder chairman of All India Saurashtra Film Chamber (AISFC).
Madurai is home to an estimated three lakh Saurashtrians who migrated from Gujarat about three centuries ago. While making Madurai their home, they pursued formal education in Tamil and English but strived to maintain their linguistic roots. That is one reason why movies were made in Saurashtra in Madurai when such attempts are found even in Gujarat.
Aided by advancement in technology they have so far made about 10 films on a shoe-string budget with the content ranging from romance to religion. These films used to be screened at community gatherings but for the first time a movie was screened in a theatre last year.
“We want to take our films to the next level. Saurashtrian films should also be enjoyed by Tamil people. We want our movies to get due recognition from all section of the people,” said Suraj Prakash, director of upcoming film titled ‘Ekos Eno.’
Eswarlal said that the chamber would have a membership of about 500 people.
Though the chamber is registered in Chennai, its functions would be centred in Madurai. The chamber would bring in veterans and regularly conduct seminars, workshops, discussions and film festivals in the city. World cinema and Indian classics would be screened in the film festivals. “Our priority is to enable youth to make commercial movies. Experts from Chennai and other cities would be brought to Madurai to enlighten Saurashtrian youth interested in film-making,” Easwarlal said.
source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Madurai / TNN / February 21st, 2014