UP CM nods for space to screen indie cinema in Lucknow

Filmmaker Onir’s meeting with Uttar Pradesh CM, Akhilesh Yadav along with actor-producer Sanjay Suri proved to be a fruitful one.

As scheduled, Onir and Suri met the CM on Wednesday, and handed over their proposal to promote indie cinema in the state. As reported by TOI earlier, Onir put forward the demand for a place to screen independent cinema, a small library, which would have books and CDs on films, and a facility to hold cinema workshops.
Akhilesh, who’s always shown keen interest in promoting arts and sports, responded enthusiastically to the proposal. “It is a very good proposal and we will definitely do something in this regard,” said Yadav, and added, “The state needs such initiatives, it already has so much to offer which needs to be explored.”
The chief minister passed on the proposal to the principal secretary, Culture and Tourism, Manoj Kumar and suggested an auditorium for this purpose at the cultural venue being planned by the CM for Lucknow, probably in Gomti Nagar.
Onir too was excited with the outcome of the meeting. “Mr Yadav’s response has been extremely encouraging. Meeting him was a pleasure. He has such a positive outlook and I’m sure something very positive will come out of our meeting. We – Sanjay and I – had suggested a few places to him but he had some better ideas to offer.”
Onir, who spent a considerable time in Lucknow on his last visit, had suggested a few places in the city where he would have liked to screen the films, one being the now-defunct Mayfair cinema hall in Hazratganj. Though the CM did say that it would have been an ideal location, since it was in the heart of the city and a popular place for cinema-lovers once, he added that since it was a private property, the government could not intervene or take it up for any project. “Mayfair is a wonderful place and I don’t think there’s anyone in the city who hasn’t gone there at least once, but we can’t do anything there. It’s up to the owners to decide what they want to do with it.”
Onir and Sanjay Suri stayed back in Lucknow yesterday, and are returning to Mumbai today.

Filmmaker Onir’s meeting with Uttar Pradesh CM, Akhilesh Yadav along with actor-producer Sanjay Suri proved to be a fruitful one.

As scheduled, Onir and Suri met the CM on Wednesday, and handed over their proposal to promote indie cinema in the state. As reported by TOI earlier, Onir put forward the demand for a place to screen independent cinema, a small library, which would have books and CDs on films, and a facility to hold cinema workshops.

Akhilesh, who’s always shown keen interest in promoting arts and sports, responded enthusiastically to the proposal. “It is a very good proposal and we will definitely do something in this regard,” said Yadav, and added, “The state needs such initiatives, it already has so much to offer which needs to be explored.”

The chief minister passed on the proposal to the principal secretary, Culture and Tourism, Manoj Kumar and suggested an auditorium for this purpose at the cultural venue being planned by the CM for Lucknow, probably in Gomti Nagar.

Onir too was excited with the outcome of the meeting. “Mr Yadav’s response has been extremely encouraging. Meeting him was a pleasure. He has such a positive outlook and I’m sure something very positive will come out of our meeting. We – Sanjay and I – had suggested a few places to him but he had some better ideas to offer.”

Onir, who spent a considerable time in Lucknow on his last visit, had suggested a few places in the city where he would have liked to screen the films, one being the now-defunct Mayfair cinema hall in Hazratganj. Though the CM did say that it would have been an ideal location, since it was in the heart of the city and a popular place for cinema-lovers once, he added that since it was a private property, the government could not intervene or take it up for any project. “Mayfair is a wonderful place and I don’t think there’s anyone in the city who hasn’t gone there at least once, but we can’t do anything there. It’s up to the owners to decide what they want to do with it.”

Onir and Sanjay Suri stayed back in Lucknow yesterday, and are returning to Mumbai today.

Credits: Times of India

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