Can being transparent and open go against you? That would seem the case if one goes by the fate of the Mumbai film festival organised by Mumbai Association of Moving Image, better known as MAMI, which almost came close being called off when the primary sponsor Reliance Entertainment pulled out.
"I feel that when you work with other people's money you need to be accountable for every single paisa spent. Without that you have no business being around," said Srinivasan Narayan, festival director, admitting that this insistence on "keeping it white" was making some people stay away.
Narayan said he knows that several industry captains and the film fraternity have stepped forward to contribute and keep the festival afloat. Among them are industrialist Anand Mahindra (Rs60 lakh), producer Manish Mundhra (Rs50 lakh), filmmaker Vidhu Vinod Chopra and Rajkumar Hirani chipped in to save the festival. Thereafter other actors like Shahid Kapoor, Kamal Haasan, Aamir Khan, Anurag Kashyap, Farhan and Zoya Akhtar, too contributed.
Designer Abu Jani and Sandeep Khosla, producer Bhushan Kumar and real estate baron Sandeep Raheja are among the others, who have contributed to the festival. "Many filmmakers, who have showcased films during earlier chapters of MAMI, have contributed after learning about the cash crunch," said Narayan. "We are open to accepting even Rs5,000 from donors," he said, adding, "I'm like a beggar with a begging bowl at a traffic signal. I will accept whatever people give to ensure that we are able to run the festival."
He told dna that the festival had raised around Rs2.5 crores till now. "We need another Rs2.5 crores to get our budget right," he said, expressing confidence that they will be able to raise the money.
The state government has given a sum of Rs10 lakh besides providing exemption on customs and censorship. "They can also do only so much as they are all busy with elections," said Narayan, who is insistent on not cutting corners. "We are in advance talks with major corporates for associate sponsorships and are approaching the city's real estate biggies too."
All eyes are now on October 14, when the curtains will rise on the week-long festival.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}