Big Apple's date with Tollywood

A US college's plans to send its students on a Tollywood tour, indicates that India's second-largest film industry is gaining global popularity.

Here's another feather in Tollywood's cap. The Lakeland Community College in Ohio, US, is planning to send its students to India, on a study tour to learn about Bollywood and Tollywood.

The two industries are among the largest producers of films in the world. Bollywood releases about 800 films, every year, and Tollywood produces about more than 200 films, annually. On a 13-day excursion, the students will visit Mumbai, Pune and Hyderabad, in January, 2008.

A university in Ohio has planned the study plan. Activities during the tour include daily film viewing, location visits, lectures by industry workers and experts. The college will charge $2,500 per student for the trip. Just as the students, Tollywood is quite excited about hosting the tour.

"It shows that Tollywood is gaining international recognition," says producer Ashwini Dutt. Industry big wigs feel that it will be a good exposure for students and the film fraternity.

"There will be healthy exchange of ideas. While the students will get to know about the ways of the Telugu film industry, we can get an understanding of how they perceive our films.

Interactions with technicians and artists will give them an insight into our style of filmmaking," observes noted producer Shyam Prasad Reddy.

Director Shekar Kamula adds, "In terms of numbers, we are the second largest industry in the country, after Bollywood. It makes sense for the students to critically compare Telugu cinema with Western films."

Courtesy: TOI