Chapter 2
The idea to start a Film Institute was dormant on his mind since 1978, after his aspiration to
join an acting course did not materialize. “Theatre, music, and dramas were part and parcel of
my life, and Mandi House was part of my routine. I desired to get formally trained in acting,
but the Film & Television Institute of India, Pune did not have any such course. It was the worst
situation, wherein the Faculty, management, and students differed in their opinions. I got
upset, as I could not continue my education, and my ambition had to take a back seat. I was
left in the lurch along with many like-minded film buffs.
This sudden shocker made me take a
firm resolve that I would open a Film School in north India.”
Dejected but rejuvenated, Sandeep Marwah returned to his father’s business and hobbies. He
began the `Asian News Agency’ in Khan market. “Khan market was the center of all news. We
were a team of four members who were busy with news surveys. We worked for Doordarshan
which would intimate to us about the events in Vigyan Bhawan or exhibitions in Mandi House,
or Indira Gandhi’s visit to Chattarpur. We would cover the event and send the tapes to them.
Within three years, I got trained in the nuances of editing, proofreading, marketing, and
shooting videos.
I always walked with a huge handheld camera and recorder and covered all
news events. I worked with my bare hands on those former editing machines. The big ones
came in handy for news, current affairs, and entertainment, and these covered both sides of
film making. Over some time, I built a wonderful rapport with the staff of DD, Film Division,
Child Film Society of India, FTI Pune, DAVP, AIR. They worked for different channels and gave
good business from 1988 to 91. These were government agencies staff with good contacts.
After retirement, they sought employment in my office.”
As a break from routine, he traveled extensively and even visited the Universal Studio in the
US, which is the largest producer of films in the world. “I decided to have a similar studio in
India and by 1986, I was adamant that I wanted a Film City in Noida. One of the first challenges
that I had to overcome, was the financial crunch. I decided to garner support from the
government and private organizations, for this maiden venture.
Then came the issue of land,
and so I made consistent visits to different offices beginning from the DDA, MCD, NDMC, L&DO
but no one entertained me. At times, the clerk stopped me and he would listen to me and
become the decision-maker, and express his lack of want, for such projects. No one paid heed
to my pleas but looked at me with disdain. I wanted to change their impression, that I was just
a middle-class boy with a vision, and a proposition, that would soon fade away. I decided to
achieve my mission, though no one vouched for me from 1978 to 86.”
Libraries offered him consolation as well as inspiration to reach his goal, and gain knowledge
about film institutes.
“I did a lot of research and became a voracious reader on film institutes,
and their syllabus be it their courses, studies, segments, as I desired to become part of that
industry. This knowledge made me brim with confidence. At the same time, I made up my mind
that I would not put my reputation at stake and hurt anyone or their sentiments if they refused
to meet me. I had the clarity of vision accompanied by confidence and determination to reach
milestones in my career which is when the universe supports you.”
It was perchance, that the Chairman of Noida walked into his brother's music shop in Khan
market, to pick up some CDs, and cassettes. His brother introduced him and he expressed his
idea to kickstart a Film City in Noida. “Being a connoisseur of films, he liked my idea and told
me to come up with a proposal and meet him in his office.
This was the same office that had
thrown me out earlier. Loaded with confidence, I walked into the office with a two-page
proposal. He looked at it and told me to bring a detailed proposal. I made a lengthy proposal
and presented it to him in December 1986. He approved the project and sent it to the UP
government and then to the Vidhan Sabha.”
The then Chief Minister Vir Bahadur Singh was an avid cinephile, who took an instant like for
the project and worked out its cost, and other paraphernalia for that year. The assembly
cleared the project in December 1987, and the Bill came into force. Vidhan Sabha announced
a Film City in UP.
“The entire media highlighted that I was the founder of the Film City, and all
of them hailed and approved this initiative of the UP government. It was nine years of tapas
(1978-87) that came into being, and I realized that persistence and persuasion could get the
desired outcome. Noida Authority congratulated us for this unique venture.”
Over time, the new Chairman wanted 100 acres, which got approved. It was a well thought out
plan of 75 acres outdoors, and 25 acres indoors, inclusive of the garden. It was left to the Noida
Authority, to allot the land, and then invite applications, from the entire country, for the
enterprise.
“Initially, not many seemed interested, as they had never heard the name Noida. It
was a ruthless state in 1987. UP meant `Ulta Pulta’ or `You Pay’ and Noida as `No Idea’ and
nobody wanted any association with it. So many could not digest the fact, that the rotten and
underdeveloped UP state, could host a Film City. There was a consortium of like-minded
people, with the government’s approval. Gulshan Kumar and I were the first ones to respond.
He already had factories in Noida which manufactured cassettes. I then roped in F C Mehra,
Boney Kapoor, Tutu Sharma, Padmini Kolhapure while Gulshan Kumar persuaded
Purnachandra Rao, L V Prasad from the south. About 2.5 to 3 acres of land got dedicated to
the road alone. The plot had common facilities and a garden, while some land was not
allotted.”
All applicants were given a time frame of three years to build their infrastructure and begin
construction. “Initially, there were only 12 allottees and 12 pieces of land. So, press
conferences were held to rope in more investors, but to no effect. And by the time filmmakers
like Subhash Ghai and Rishi Kapoor realized its value, it was too late and their applications
rejected. By then, 100 other applications reached the Noida Authority for an allotment, but
they had to decline all of them. As soon as I got hold of the land, I began construction at the
most auspicious time. It was vacant land and I devoted four days a week to build the necessary
infrastructure.
After this scheme came into force after a long wait of seven years, my mind was
pre-occupied with the idea of a Film School. I racked my brain for two long years as to how to
start the institution. And after three years of consistent work and commitment, Marwah
Studios came into force in Noida and opened its floor with a lot of glitz and glamour on March
10, 1991.”
The flamboyant August gathering saw the arrival of 50 VVIP’s from the film fraternity. Raj
Krishna Kapoor, Shammi Kapoor, Surendra Kapoor, Boney Kapoor, Anil Kapoor, Sanjay Kapoor,
Madhuri Dixit, Poonam Dhillon, Shilpa Shirodkar, Prem Chopra, Yash Chopra, Rakesh Roshan,
Narender Nath to name a few made a beeline to the studio. Besides,1500 distinguished guests
graced the one-acre studio.
“People were enamored to see the glamourized studios. A mega
party in the grass lawns had Hindi film music in the backdrop, thanks to the 12-piece band. The
open-air theatre hosted guests who got engaged in conversations. Sumptuous and delicious
delicacies served by `Kwality catering’ enthralled the guests but there was a shortage, due to
the influx of unexpected guests. Extra food arrived from Delhi to cater to the needs of the
crowd. The novel idea of a Film City enticed many who tagged their friend or relative which
added up to the huge numbers. My Dad was the least perturbed by the food shortage due to
the huge turnout and exclaimed `the more the merrier’ and said it brought good luck.”
The time slated for the colorful event was 11.30 a.m. on the invitation card. Sandeep Marwah
dropped in earlier to supervise the work from the first floor of his office. “I was busy with the
preparation when I heard a commotion downstairs and peeped to find a huge crowd gathered
around Anil Kapoor. He had to come later. I was tense as the music troupe had not yet arrived
and the refreshments were not laid out. I found the entire tentmakers, caterers, and interior
designers vied over one another, to get an autograph from him, with some even touch his feet.
With an enigmatic smile, he appeased everyone with his autograph.
Soon, I realized that it was
the lookalike of Anil Kapoor, who hailed from Ghaziabad. Around 50 people were thoroughly
fooled by him, as he sported the same beard and hairstyle of the popular actor. He confessed
to me that he was an uninvited guest, but requested that he be allowed to stay for the
inauguration. I saw an immense passion for cinema in his eyes and allowed him to stay. The
original Anil Kapoor arrived at 12. 45 a.m. but no one paid attention and I did not dare tell him
about the previous goof up. The best or worst part of it was when the lookalike’s picture
appeared on Page 3 of Times of India, the next day. I realized that film stars are so glamorous,
that even their lookalikes are so powerful in the public domain.”
The grand extravaganza was full to its capacity, with 1500 fans gathered outside and another
1500 guests inside. With the security beefed up, gates were closed to handle the frenzied
crowd, which grew ecstatic as they watched the arrival and departure of different actors, from
the studio. "Within a day, Marwah studios became the talk of the town. The entire media was
in full attendance, thanks to the efforts of Om Prakash Katyal, Director Information and
Corporation, PR of north Delhi. He had brought 35 journalists along with him from Delhi. He
remarked that in his entire career spanning 40 years, he had never seen such a huge
congregation of film stars at one venue.
The media gave huge publicity to the event, venue,
and wrote features on the actors and producers, for a whole week. The local media from Noida
too was also present at the gala event.
“It was a historical moment for me, as I was the founder of the Film City and my studio was the
fourth film studio in India. I had two studios-one hired by Bijon Das Gupta, the art director for
whom we had to erect the sets for the first ad of BPL TV. The other studio got booked for a TV
serial commissioned by Doordarshan, entitled `Kaali Haath’ and directed by Khalid Sultan. As
of now, we have nine studios."
The same day saw the art gallery in the basement unfurl the doors to the public. In the near
vicinity was Boney Kapoor’s one-and-a-half acre studio, which was also inaugurated. “We
created a lane between the rear gate of my studio and his studio through the service lane. We
erected and entwined both the studios together with temporary false walls so that guests
could just walk through rather than take the roundabout route. The shooting of the film `Prem’
which featured Sanjay Kapoor and Beena had a jail scene erected in that studio.”
Most of the dignitaries were optimistic about the studio concept though a few felt insecure
about it.
Sandeep Marwah had to face harsh criticisms wherein one dared to ask if he had built
a warehouse for the food grain storage for the Food Corporation of India. But he did not get
dejected as he was very optimistic about his concept of a Film City in Noida. Even though he
did not find many who ventured all the way from Mumbai, he did not lose heart. And when it
became difficult to generate business, he contacted his sources from the world of TV, Films,
Art, and Culture.
Life became very hectic with regular shootings, which went on till early dawn, sometimes till 3
a.m. “I was very confident about my studio and knew the language of cinema, which made me
very independent. I worked hard from dawn to dusk, with no constraints of time, for about two
years at a stretch. I had about 70 projects in hand, which included feature films, shootings,
regional feature films, tv serials, telefilm ads, interviews, news programs, corporate films, game
shows, and talk shows.
I learned all the formats of film making, during this time. I stayed at the
studio and began to learn from the basics on the floor, be it a light man, cameraman,
production controller, set designer, actor, and director and became adept with all of them. The
studio became my institution and obsession, which gave me requisite practical exposure and
experience, through all the projects. Alongside I continued my Masters in Business.”
The cost factor is quite affordable in Marwah studios. "In those days, a nine-hour shift was
available for Rs 6000, which was half the cost. Now it is available for Rs 50, 000, after 29 years
of operations.
Besides our low costs, all the equipment necessary for a director and
cameraman be it, artists, to lighting are given. We offer many complimentary things like
lampshades though others charge for it. We do not give a reason for anyone to complain. Those
who have worked with us in the past are more than happy due to the cost-effective measures
besides the professional set-up we offer. It is a sheer word of mouth which has done wonders
for us that we get consistent bookings and rake in good business. With the best facilities
available, our only concern is our reputation."
Work progresses through the night to set up the studio for the next day morning shoot. With
in-house carpenters and designers, all requirements are sorted out on time. An in-house
canteen caters to the hunger pangs of anyone and everyone. "We make sure that all of them
carry forward good memories from our studio.
We work as a team and ensure that we have a
good friendly relation with everyone be it the spot boy or the director."
It was a working pattern from school days. `My Dad was a wonderful subject for observation.
There was no need for a mentor. He was self-made having gone through the hardships in life.
He was more of a teacher to me. (Can we include this in the previous chapter?)
