Countdown for the inaugural of the National Museum of Indian Cinema (NMIC) at the Films Division premises in Mumbai has begun. NMIC, when inaugurated will be the first of its kind national film museum in India.

The Museum Advisory Committee, chaired by veteran film maker Shyam Benegal, made a fervent appeal to people associated with the film industry to come forward and donate rare artefacts, vintage instruments and other memorabilia to the National Museum, which chronicles the century old journey of Indian cinema.

The Museum Advisory Committee which met in Mumbai, also approved the thematic display in the Phase II of the museum. National Council of Science Museums, Kolkata, under the Ministry of Culture, is curating the museum.

Secretary, Information & Broadcasting, Ajay Mittal, who was a special invitee at the meeting, said the government has attached enormous importance to NMIC, to build it as a platform to present various facets of Indian cinema.

NMIC is conceived as a two phase museum. Phase I is housed in the heritage building- Gulshan Mahal, mostly displaying static artefacts and telling the story of Indian cinema chronologically. Phase II of the Museum, being housed in the modern building will sport over 40 interactive galleries devoted to cinema across India, journey of Indian cinema from silent era to talkies, technology and creativity in cinema as well as a Children’s activity gallery.

Shyam Benegal said, “a visit to the film museum should be an engrossing experience and we should have a number of interactive sections, where viewers can watch clips from classics, listen to rare recordings or learn about how cinema was made in the bygone era”. Veteran film makers Adoor Gopalakrishnan, Krishna Swamy and noted cinematographer A K Bir were among those present at the meeting.