Ghai celebrates Indian movie centenary with Cinema 100

Mumbai, June 1 (IANS) Subhash Ghai Friday launched Cinema 100 and said it is an initiative to celebrate in his own way the centenary of Indian movies and not a gimmick to impress the government.

The three-day college festival, an initiative by the students of Ghai's film school Whistling Woods International, was inaugurated by Oscar-winning composer A.R. Rahman at the Film City.

"Cinema 100 is a celebration of 100 years of Indian cinema. It is not a gimmick to try and make the government change its stance. We go in the direction which we feel is nice. We are celebrating this for us," Ghai told reporters at the inauguration ceremony.

Ghai's film institute has been going through a bad phase. In April this year, the Supreme Court dismissed an appeal by his Mukta Arts Ltd challenging a Bombay High Court verdict cancelling the allotment of 20 acres of land in Goregaon for his film academy.

Ghai has been asked by the court to return 14.5 acres of land immediately, but can continue to hold 5.5 acres on which the institute stands till the last batch passes out in 2014.

Talking about the crisis, Ghai said: "It is important to smile in crisis. When we smile, crisis runs away. If we want to protest, we must celebrate. It is important to change all the negativity into positivity. When my student suggested that we should celebrate 100 years of cinema, I readily agreed," he added.

Rahman said: "Subhash Ghai has inspired me to start my own institution of music as well. I hope that they (Whistling Woods) have a glorious future. I am sure many talents from here will make the world of films and arts proud."

Actor Randhir Kapoor, who was also present, said: "These students are the showmen, directors and super stars of tomorrow. Cinema has completed 100 years and I want it to last longer. Throughout its 100 years, it has given livelihood to so many artists."