Following is from Times of India's supplementary 'Mumabi Mirror' published yesterday...
Filmistan Studio, one of Mumbai’s oldest and iconic studios, could have a new owner if the deal comes through. Producer Sajid Nadiadwala wants to buy the studio from its present owner, Anil Kumar Tolaram Jalan.
Spread over five acres on Goregaon S.V.Road, the studio has seven shooting floors, a temple and garden for outdoor shoots. It was founded in 1943 by producer Sashadhar Mukharjee, his brother-in-law actor Ashok kumar, his director friend Gyan Mukharjee and Rai Bahadur Chunilal (father of Great MD Madan Mohan Sahab) as the productin controller They had quit Bombay Talkies following creative differences with actress-filmmaker Devika Rani who had taken over after her husband, Himanshu Rai’s death.
Nasir Hussain joined Filmistan in 1948 as a writer and penned blockbusters like Anarkali, Munimji and Paying Guest. He made successful transition to direction with Tumsa Nahin Dekha the studio continued to churn out hits like Shaheed, Shabnam, Sargam and Nagin through the ‘40s and ‘50s.
In 1958, Mukharjee left Filmistan to establish his own studio,Filmalaya, selling it to Tolaram Jalan. Nitin Bose’s Dooj Ka Chand in 1964 was one of the last film to come out of the production company but the studio continued to find favour with outside filmmakers. Shahrukh Khan’s RA.One and Salman Khan’s Bodyguard were filmed there in recent times.
Talks of the studio being put up for sale have been going on far some years now in 2011, Jalan refuted media reports.Now, it has learnt Nadiadwala has approached Jalan with offer to buy it.
‘It’s Sajid’s favourite studio having seen the founding ground of one of his much-loved directors Nasir Hussain whose films he’s grown up watching. A song, Offo, for his film 2 States, was shot there. So there’s a sentimental value attached to the property. He’s been in talks with the owner since the last month-and-ahalf and they are at an advanced stage now.”
USR