Planning Films Division auditorium as 'adda' of alternate cinema:

In an attempt to boost alternate and low-budget cinema, the government has plans to give an image makeover to the Films Division Auditorium on Mahadev Road here. It is likely to be modelled in a way that it becomes a hub of alternate cinema, Information and Broadcasting Minister Manish Tewari said here Friday.

Tewari said how, the auditorium, which is currently being used for screenings only on special occasions, could be modelled along the lines of Prithvi Theatre in Mumbai to not just screen documentaries and small budget films but also to provide a forum for filmmakers and connoisseurs to discuss filmmaking. He revealed the plans officially at the 60th National Film Awards ceremony here.

"We hope to give it a makeover and make it an 'adda' of alternate cinema," he said.

A day ahead of the ceremony, filmmakers, including Onir, Anusha Rizvi, Ashvin Kumar and Aamir Bashir protested here as part of Save Indie Campaign, demanding "more screens" and "space" for independent movies. The ministry's plans seem like a first step towards the fulfillment of such needs.