Indian cinema has emerged as a soft ambassador of Indian music, art and culture. It has travelled worldwide, showcasing India’s culture and heritage.
Films are being shot in many countries and there is a strong element of assimilation of cultures in the Indian movies. The Indian films have made a global impact, created curiosity among foreign viewers, and worked as ‘teasers’ to visit India. No doubt that the Indian film industry called ‘Bollywood’ has been promoting Indian tourism in its own way.
There has been a representation of generations in Indian cinema, and its journey has been preserved at the National Museum of Indian Cinema in Mumbai, which is as expansive as the country’s film industry.
The Museum has generated a lot of national and international interest with an accurate depiction of Indian cinema’s journey from silent films of the olden days to special effects of today. Spread over 20,118 square feet with four levels, including a section dedicated to Mahatma Gandhi, the museum has sections like a kids’ studio, technology, and a sizable collection of cinematic artefacts on display.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the National Museum on January 19, 2019 and it is first of its kind in many ways. It is housed in Gulshan Mahal, a 19th-century heritage building, stores memories of 100 years of Indian cinema.
The building that houses Museum generates huge interest among the visitors due to its original occupants and their journey from Kutch in Gujarat to Mumbai. As the story goes, Peerbhoy Khalakdina built Gulshan Mahal in 1800s. He came to Mumbai with his wife Rehmabai and son, Jairazbhoy, and built this sprawling mansion overlooking the Arabian Sea. After some generations, the bungalow went under the category of evacuee property after the partition. It was used for many other purposes, including the shooting of films.
“Its collection consists of several documents, posters, models/dioramas, multimedia kiosks and artefacts. Spread across two floors, the nine sections include The Origin of Cinema, Cinema Comes to India, Indian Silent Film, Advent of Sound, The Studio Era, The Impact of World War II, Creative Resonance, New Wave and Beyond and Regional Cinema,” says a source material from the National Museum of Indian Cinema.
According to a document released by the Museum, “The building has four fully air-conditioned exhibition halls spread across four floors (accessible through escalators and lifts). These include — Level 1: Gandhi and Cinema; Level 2: Children’s Film Studio; Level 3: Technology, Creativity and Indian Cinema; Level 4: Cinema across India.
The children’s film studio is a must-visit for young audiences and school groups as they provide children with an immersive experience, using interactive elements like a stop-motion animation studio, a sound effects and mixing studio, a photo studio and more. Instead of a tour guide, the Museum has digital kiosks with old telephone receivers for certain exhibits. One can pick up and listen to in three different languages. There are also timelines, wherever necessary, that place India on the world map.”
Visitors recommend it as a must-see place while in Mumbai as the Museum’s timeline with key dates and information takes them in a flashback of the history of Indian cinema.
