World film classics on your doorstep

KOZHIKODE:  Wait, the world classic cinemas will soon reach your doorstep  as the Kerala State Chalachitra Academy has decided to launch a moving cinema exhibition across the state.“This will be an air-conditioned theatre on luxury bus and it will be on the road shortly,’’ said K B Ganesh Kumar, Minister for Cinema.    The actor-turned minister is the mastermind behind the project and noted director and academy chairman Priyadarshan has extended all support for the initiative. The minister himself is working on the design, body and other technologies to be incorporated in the bus in the midst of his busy schedule in office and Assembly. “I own a tempo-traveller which has all the facilities of an air-conditioned mini-theatre. From this, I got the concept of a ‘bus theatre’ for film lovers. When I was the transport minister, I took initiatives to change the design and shape of KSRTC buses. This experience has added to my confidence,’’ said Ganesh Kumar.  The bus theatre will have all the facilities such as high definition projector, DTS, 3D features, and pushback seats, and the viewers can experience the silver screen wonder without disturbances.   The first meeting of the newly-constituted Kerala State Chalachitra Academy general council to be held in Kozhikode on October 28 will decide the flag-off date and other particulars.“This is a serious initiative to share the experience of world cinema.  The first time, we will launch only one bus on an experimental basis,” the minister said.The bus will travel to places across the state and stay at one place for five days, during which 15 films will be screened. “We will conduct these mini-film festivals jointly with local film societies.They have to pay a small amount as rent and supply power. The film societies can choose the cinemas from the website of Chalachitra Academy.The bus has a seating capacity of 35 persons. Before entering the bus cinema hall, the viewer will get a brochure which depicts the story, plot and details of the crew of the movie. There will be Malayalam subtitles also. There will be a foldable mini-screen behind the driving seat of the bus. The movie will be screened from  3 pm to 9 pm.“Chalachitra Academy has a collection of over 1,000 DVDs of world cinemas. Recently, British Library in Thiruvananthapuram handed 1,000 DVDs of English movies. “We will exhibit movies from this collection and will publish the names of cinemas on the official website of the academy soon,” Ganesh Kumar said.