PM Modi inauguratres National Museum of Indian Cinema in Mumbai

Speed Post News Network

New Delhi : Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the National Museum of Indian Cinema (NMIC) in Mumbai on January 19, 2019. The Prime Minister took a tour of the Museum, after which he addressed a gathering of the film fraternity. Speaking on the occasion, he congratulated everyone for the inauguration of NMIC, which he said showcases the entire history of Indian cinema at one place. He also congratulated the film fraternity, under whose guidance Indian cinema has been continuously making new strides.

The Prime Minister asked young and old present – “How’s the josh” – and said that their zeal is extremely important for building a New India. Talking about NMIC, he said that it showcases the multi-faceted aspects of the film industry, its rich tradition and the struggles the people have undergone in making movies. It will serve as an opportunity for the younger generation to understand several aspects of films and film-making.

Speaking about the two buildings in which the museum is housed, the PM said that while Gulshan Mahal speaks about our history, the ultra-modern New Museum Building is a testament to our vision for the future. He spoke about the almost 30-hour footage available in Gulshan Mahal about the bravery and sacrifice of lakhs of Indian soldiers martyred in World War II.

Talking about films and society being reflections of each other, the Prime Minister talked about some aspects of evolution in films. He cited examples of the patriotic movies starring Manoj Kumar, the angry young man portrayal on the silver screen, the hopes and aspirations of society being projected and the recent coming up of ‘heroes’ from not just metropolitan cities but also from Tier-2 and Tier 3 cities and rural areas.

The Prime Minister said that the Indian Entertainment Industry presents all facets of human emotions which find resonance all across the world. He cited the example of Raj Kapoor, whose movies are loved the world over. He highlighted the role of films in projecting India’s soft power which strengthens Brand India.

Elucidating the impact of Indian Cinema, the PM shared his experiences of interaction with world leaders. He talked about the Prime Minister of Israel knowing the song Ichak Dana by-heart without knowing the language and about school kids performing in South Korea on the song Haathi Mere Saathi. He spoke about the niche being carved by Indian TV serials, stating that there would hardly be any family in Afghanistan who would not have heard about Kyuki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu thi and also mentioned about the love that Vietnamese PM’s wife has for the TV serial Ramayan.

Applauding the silent power of cinema in acting as a catalyst to bringing forth new thoughts and ideas in the minds of people, the PM spoke about recent films on a variety of social subjects like toilets, women empowerment, sports, disease awareness etc. which were also commercially successful.

He said that the Government is working on a single window clearance system for grant of film shooting permissions from multiple authorities to ensure Ease of Filming. A web portal is being created to facilitate such permissions for film completion in a time bound manner. Acknowledging the issue of film piracy, the PM informed that Government is in the process of coming up with an amendment in the Cinematograph Act 1952 to ensure severe punishment for camcording.

Mentioning that Design in India is as important as Make in India, he talked about the setting up of National Centre for Excellence for Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming and Comics. He also discussed the need of setting up a separate University for Communication and Entertainment which focuses on technology and finance while giving scope for creativity, according to a PIB release.