Subash Ghai gives a new dimension to the media industry

Kolkata, Oct 11 (UNI) For thousands struggling to get a toehold in the burgeoning media industry film maker Subash Ghai has come up with an institute that will produce tech-savvy professionals.

The veteran director recently opened the technologically advanced 'The Whistling Woods' at the Film city, Mumbai, which would teach students the finer nuances of film making and prepare them to face the big world of celluloid media.

In a video conference organised by the Reliance Web World here yesterday, mediapersons and interested students country-wide, interacted with Ghai, Kurt Inderbitzin, Dean of 'The Whistling Woods' and famous screenplay writer Anjum Rajabali where they explained the pros of joining a professional institute.

''Things have changed and every day the film fraternity is in hunt of tech-savvy actors,'' Institute's Chairman Ghai said.

''Gone are the days when actors were born and not made. Now the talents are not only created but also groomed,'' he added.

Theater schools like NSD and FTII have made artists perform and learn the nitty-gritties of this art and produced some of the finest actors like Naseeruddin Shah, Om Puri, Shabana Azmi, Satish Kaushik and many more.

Mr Inderbitzin said five years down the line the media industry would sum upto Rs 60,000 crores per annum, the largest and most profitable industry, and in order to maintain the status in this dog- eat-dog competition it has to take in more and more proffessionals.

''We are always in search of new actors, singers, writers, directors, cinematographers and it becomes frustrating when they are not able to face the test. Hundreds of movies are made in a year and we can't afford to train them every second but want people ready to face the situation, hence we came up with the idea of opening a media school,'' Mr Ghai explained.

Designed with guidance from Australian Film and Television school, the institute would offer students a balanced curriculum and an educated entry into the entertainment industry, Mr Inderbitzin said.

It would provide technicalities, cinematography, direction, editing, screenplay, animation along with the business of film and television.

Giving stress on the business of film, Mr Ghai said it would ground students in the essential organisational skills and business like legal issues, marketing, promotion, distribution, contracts, project development and various other complexities while making a film.

''The institute has faculty members like Shyam Benegal, Nagesh Kukunoor, Arunaraje Patil, A R Rahman, Saroj Khan, Shahrukh Khan, Mahesh Bhatt, Javed Akhtar, Ashutosh Gowarikar and many more from the film fraternity and with such faculties you may get a chance in the films before your course completes,'' he told aspiring students.

However, a steep Rs 11 lakh course fee could deter many students, but the institute gives loan facilities.

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