BMC a collaborator, not regulator, in the film industry, says Gagrani

For the first time ever, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has stepped into the world of entertainment, not as a regulator, but as a facilitator.

- Linah Baliga

Municipal Commissioner Bhushan Gagrani said the BMC’s involvement in the film industry is not about control, but about collaboration. “Let me make it clear today that BMC is not here as an organiser but as a participant,” he said, at a meet hosted by the BMC in collaboration with Mumbai - City of Film and the UNESCO Creative Cities Network, on Wednesday. Titled the ‘Role of Film Industry in Mumbai's Economic Development’, the event is part of Mumbai's designation as a UNESCO Creative City of Film in 2019.

Gagrani spelt out the civic body's vision to support and strengthen Mumbai's entertainment ecosystem. He said that while the municipality has played the role of service provider and stakeholder in various other sectors, this is the first time the BMC is formally engaging with the entertainment industry.

With a cultural legacy that spans Hindi, Marathi and Gujarati cinema and theatre, and now OTT platforms, Mumbai has a unique place on the global entertainment map. “The city’s soft power comes from this very magic of storytelling, which deserves civic support,” Gagrani said.