Multiplexes to woo crowds in Asom

Guwahati, Sept 28: Even with peace still remaining fragile and elusive, Asom, and its capital in particular, has been witnessing a massive real estate boom with half a dozen multiplexes coming up in the next one year.

''We will make Guwahati one of the finest capitals of the Eastern region,'' said Guwahati Development Department Minister Himanta Biswa Sharma, pushing the National Games Village project, which would be turned into one of the most posh residential colony with multiplexes after the February Games are over.

Half-a-dozen multiplexes would soon compete for crowds in Asom, with the people all set to have entertainment in multiplexes in their home city finally even as all over the state big old cinema halls are closing down due to lack of of business.

''Now it is the time for multiplexes. We are planning one,'' said S L Goenka of Kelvin Cinema, the second oldest cinema hall of the region, which was set up in 1944 basically targeting the Second World War American GI jawans.

As many as six multiplexes, with a whopping investment of Rs 70 crore, are in various stages of completion. Altogether five would be located in Guwahati, while the sixth would be in Dibrugarh.

Another would come up at Meghalaya's capital, Shillong.

These multiplexes, all-inclusive with cinema theatres, shopping arcade and food plaza, are expected to give a big boost to the entertainment industry. The film industry in the state particularly had been hard hit with falling business.

Many cinema hall owners, most of whom are losing a money are all set to jump on the multiplexes' bandwagon. The state has just over 100 cinema halls, with many forced to close shutters earlier. ''The multiplex, besides having shopping malls and restaurants, will have three screen theatres, each having a capacity of 750,'' Mr Goenka said.

Shopping mall Hub in Guwahati is also planning to come up with 282-seater multiplex.

Director of the mall Prakash Sanganeria said they were all set to start as soon as the license was procured.

Many people in the film industry had taken the arrival of the multiplexes as a positive sign for the regional film industry, which is fighting hard to survive.

They are of the view that multiple screens would bring the much-needed audience for Assamese films.

Asom government, in budget for 2006-07, had proposed to exempt mini-cinema theatres, multiplexes and amusement parks from entertainment tax for five years. The budget proposal had underscored the need for modernisation of facilities in cinema halls in the interest of film fraternity and cine goers.

In order to facilitate modernisation, the government had proposed to raise the service charges suitably for those cinema halls, which provide better facilities like air conditioning, modern sound systems, seating arrangements and other modern arrangements.

Bigwigs of the Assamese cinema industry had recently met in the city to discuss the grim scenerio prevailing in the industry at present.

''It is a very bad situation. I hope that multiplexes will reverse the trend,'' National Award winning actress Moloya Goswami.

said.

The government had already been approached for assistance by: film-makers, who were finding it hard to even get back the investment money, not to speak of profit.

The mini-cinema theatres, along with the multiplexes, could ensure the turnover for the local film industry, besides the businessmen.

UNI