Sena to assign new role for Urmila Matondkar

Political twist over two new institutes dedicated to music, drama, and dance

One cannot say when the stalemate over the nomination of 12 members on State Legislative Council from the Governor’s quota will see an end. But, the Shiv Sena appears keen to assign a new role for noted actor Urmila Matondkar, who is enlisted as a nominee for the State Council from the Governor’s quota. For now, the Sena-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government is working overtime to set up an institute for dance and drama research and training where the actor can assume an important role. This institute will be named after Dadasaheb Phalke, the father of the Indian film industry.

It can be recalled that the government has already planned an international college dedicated to music named after Dinanath Mangeshkar on the campus of Mumbai University. It’s interesting to note that both the decisions have a political twist.

Even though the subjects related to music, drama, and dance are mandated to the Department of Cultural Affairs, the Department of Higher and Technical Education has taken up the initiative to complete necessary formalities for setting up the institutes. While the Department of Cultural Affairs is with Congress minister Amit Deshmukh, Shiv Sena minister Uday Samant is in charge of the Higher and Technical Education department.

It is discussed in the corridors of power that the Shiv Sena wants to claim full credit for establishing both these institutions. For this, the Sena minister, Uday Samant is keen that his department handles each and every aspect concerning the institutes. His department has already set up a 14-member study group headed by well-known composer Hridaynath Mangeshkar, another study group for the dance and drama institute expected to be set up soon under Urmila Matondkar. It was discussed during a recent high-level meeting.

Sources say Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and his son, Environment Minister Aditya Thackeray were keen on both the institutes at the earliest. The dance and drama institute will be located in the Film City. A proposal is afoot to call international bidding for design and plan for both the institutes.

Currently, the Film City campus houses Whistling Woods, an institute set up by renowned producer and director Subhash Ghai that conducts courses on cinema and acting. The state decision to allow this institute mired in huge controversy that invited strictures by the Comptroller & Auditor General of India (CAG). Even the High Court and the Supreme Court slammed the decision with strictures. However, the Congress-led government between 2009 to 2014 and later the BJP-led government in 2014 to 2019 decided to protect the institute which is still functional.

Urmila Matondkar, who joined the Congress on the eve of the Lok Sabha elections in 2019, later quit the party to join the Shiv Sena. She stood by Sena during the party’s tiff with actor Kangana Ranaut.

The study group for the proposed international college dedicated for the research, development, and training in music, consists of who’s who from the world of classical and light Indian music, such as Ustad Zakir Hussain, A R Rehman, Shiv Kumar Sharma, Niladri Kumar, Ajoy Chakrabarty, Hariharan, and others. A report by the committee, set up in January this year, is still awaited despite its deadline has elapsed.

All issues apart, the political twist about setting up both the institutes is quite interesting. According to the government rules of business, the subject of music is to be handled by the Department of Cultural Affairs, which is headed by the Congress minister Amit Deshmukh. But Shiv Sena wants credit and political mileage for the college and that’s why Sena minister headed Department of Higher and Technical Education is taking a keen interest in it. According to sources, the Department of Higher and Technical Education can direct Mumbai University to provide a piece of land from its campus for the proposed college. However, the overall structure, administration, and details of the music college have to be decided by the Department of Cultural Affairs. Only time will tell how the issues are resolved.