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BANGALORE:
Bangalore’s Innovative Film City (BIFC) is one up on
Hyderabad’s film city. Come October, Ripley’s, Louis
Tussauds and Guinness World are scheduled to bring in exhibits
and artifacts for display there. This is the Canadian group’s
maiden entry into South Asia and Bangalore will be one of
the 64 global locations to be associated with the Ripley’s
Entertainment (REI), and India the 11th country where their
products have presence. REI attractions had 13 million visitors
globally last year.
“Ripley
is a global brand, and the appeal of our television, books,
weird-and-unusual exhibits and people is widespread. South
East Asia is a very important market for us and we felt associating
with Innovative was the right opportunity to tap this market.
India naturally was the first choice due to its increasing
popularity among the global audience and we see a huge potential
here for our industry,” said REI president Robert Masterson.
Bob is open to bringing in other REI properties if things
work well here and is open to proposals for ventures in other
locations in India. REI is a member of the $6.4 Billion Canadian
dollars) Jim Patterson Group.
Audio
visual production of REI products is done by Sony, who then
distribute it, and though REI has no control over this aspect,
Bib is quite confident that production of ground events out
of India for television will increase once they are established
at BIFC.
Innovative
Film city has planned construction of 10,000 sq. ft, 9,000
sq. ft. and 7500 sq. ft. for Ripley’s Believe it or Not,
Louis Tussauds Wax Museum and Guinness World Records respectively,
and has enough area to double the same for each REI product,
according to BIFC cmd Sarvana Prasad, who revealed spends
of Rs.1.5 billion on the BIFC during the first phase. BIFC
has invested in the real estate and buildings which will be
constructed to REI’s exact standards and designs. REI’s
investment’s will be by way of providing for displays,
the value of which sometimes cannot be estimated. REI will
also provide the technical support to BIFC.
The
entrance fee has been pegged at Rs.50/- per property as against
the US $13-15/- that visitors pay in other countries.
BIFC
plans to house a mock city, a haunted mansion, a mini tour
of Europe, a Jurassic Park along with the REI properties.
The project will lso houses six mega studios, a film academy
in association with Griffith and Bond Universities from Australia,
a production house, an IT park, Snow park, Miniature City,
Aqua Kingdom, Dinosaur World, Haunted Mansion, Amphitheatre,
one of the biggest retail high street in the country with
300,00 sq. ft. of area, Food courts and theme restaurants,
and a residential district featuring celebrity signature mansions,
themed lifestyle villas and luxury apartments. Other entertainment
offerings include a go-carting zone, a mini golf course, and
21 screen multiplex with 4D theatres, the biggest in Asia,
The project is built on a 50-acre area.
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