The Hindu : Academy opens cinema museum

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Sep 22, 2002

Southern States

Southern States - Kerala-Thiruvananthapuram

Academy opens cinema museum

By Our Staff Reporter

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM SEPT. 21. The Culture Minister, G. Karthikeyan, on Friday formally inaugurated a cinema museum on the premises of the Kerala State Chalachitra Academy at Kowdiar here. The museum, the first of its kind in the country, will have exhibits detailing the growth of evolution of cinema, including equipment used in the industry during its initial stages, rare photographs of films and film personalities, posters, costumes, song books which were in vogue in Malayalam cinema in the old days, video cassettes and literature. The academy attaches top priority to Indian cinema, but there will be an exclusive section for Malayalam cinema.

The chairman of Chalachitra Academy, Adoor Gopalakrishnan, said the museum was not an overnight achievement of the academy. It had been collecting curios that could be exhibited at the museum from collectors as well as cineastes.

There are any number of people who would have collections of photographs, gramophone records, posters, and other such rare items. Those who wish to donate such things can hand it over to the museum, Mr. Gopalakrishnan said.

To start with, photos from the collections of the veteran photographer, N.L. Balakrishnan, and N. Gopalakrishnan, have been displayed in the photo gallery. The pictures of J.C. Daniel, Ramu Kariyat, John Abraham, Aravindan, P.A. Bakker, Padmarajan, and Bharathan, and almost all Malayalam films have found a place in the gallery.

Mr. Gopalakrishnan has contributed the Ariflex camera, which was used to shoot `Swayamvaram', to the museum. The library attached to the museum will soon have an extensive collection of books and video cassettes of film classics which would be of great use to the students who are doing research on cinema. Digital conversion of the cassettes on film classics is being done. Students and cineastes can view classics at the library at a nominal rate. The facility will be provided on first-come-first-served basis.

The academy plans to conduct workshops for those in the film and television industry. Film appreciation courses have also been planned for students and academics, especially those who teach cinema. "Now academics have an erratic approach in teaching cinema. Screenplay is being taught the way Shakespearean plays are handled. Appreciation courses will help change their approach to the subject. A comprehensive databank on Malayalam cinema is also on the anvil,'' Mr. Gopalakrishnan said.

The academy is also setting up Academy of Cinema in Kochi and Kozhikode. Following discussions with the Mayors of these cities, places have been identified for opening the academy. Initially the project was planned in five cities but now it has been reduced to two owing to the financial constraints of the Government.

Two projectors each will be provided at these centres, which would go on stream soon. Screenings will be conducted on all Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.

Priority will be accorded to screening of serious films that are not shown in the mainstream commercial circuit. In order to encourage the production of such films, 50 per cent of the collection will be given to the producers, and 25 per cent each will be shared by the academy and the local bodies.

K. Mohan Kumar, MLA, presided. He also switched on the `World Cinema on Video'. V.S. Sivakumar, MP, inaugurated the photo gallery. The museum will be opened to the public within a fortnight.

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