79-Year-Old Iconic Famous Studio to be Demolished 69-Storey Residential Towers to Come Up

BY SHANTISWAROOP TRIPATHI

Preparations have begun to demolish yet another iconic Bollywood studio. According to reports, the 79-year-old Famous Studio in Mumbai is set to be razed. Soon, the familiar echoes of Camera… Action… Cut will no longer be heard in its halls. The daily hustle of film and television stars at this landmark will come to a halt, as the site is being redeveloped into 69-storey skyscraper residential towers. Yes, it’s true — though unsurprising given the trend.

If we look back at history, Hindi cinema saw its true growth between 1941 and 1960. During this period, many filmmakers not only produced quality films but also invested heavily in developing infrastructure to support filmmaking. By 1943, Mumbai saw the rise of several film studios. Alongside Raj Kapoor’s RK Studios, there was Shashadhar Mukherjee and Ashok Kumar’s Filmistan, the Roongta family’s Famous Studio, Filmalaya, Natraj, Kamal Amrohi’s Kamalistan, Bombay Talkies, Mohan, Jyoti, Swati, Mehboob Khan’s Mehboob Studio, among others. These studios provided facilities for shooting, dubbing, mixing, and song recordings. Cinema flourished.

However, after 2001, with the increasing influence of the corporate sector, the quality of Hindi films declined and cinema’s growth slowed down. Studios built in the 1940s and 1950s began shutting down, giving way to skyscraper apartments. Already, Natraj Studio (Andheri East), RK Studios (Chembur), Filmalaya Studio (Andheri West), Kamalistan Studio, and others have been demolished and replaced with residential towers. Just a few months ago, Filmistan Studio in Goregaon West was also sold off, with plans for 75-storey towers.

Now, according to a report in Hindustan, the iconic Famous Studio at Mahalaxmi — opposite the racecourse, near E Moses Road and close to the Metro Railway — will soon face the same fate. The newspaper notes: “Another piece of cinema history is destined to fade into obscurity. For 79 years, Famous Studio has been a hub for film shoots, sound recording, and mixing. Soon, it will be demolished to make way for a premium residential project. This time, the studio owners themselves are partnering with a builder for redevelopment.”

Over the last decade, big developers like Piramal Realty, Godrej Properties, DB Realty (now Vellore Estate), Prestige, and K Raheja Corp had shown interest in the land, but no deal was finalized. Now, industry insiders confirm that K Raheja Corp is close to sealing the redevelopment deal.

Famous Studio directors Arunkumar Roongta and Chandralekha Roongta have already applied to the BMC for redevelopment. In August 2024, the Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation (MMRC) confirmed that the new project would fall within 500 meters of the Science Museum Metro Station buffer zone. Talks are also underway for vestibule connectivity between the project and the nearest metro station, and an MoU may soon be signed.

The Scale of Redevelopment

The studio plot covers 6,505.91 sq. meters with a permissible FSI of 1.33. After setbacks, the usable area is 5,966.97 sq. meters. With additional premiums, TDR, and transit-oriented development allowances, the total built-up area will reach 40,277.05 sq. meters (433,538.55 sq. ft), while the land parcel measures 70,029.03 sq. ft. Plans submitted to the BMC and Fire Department show a mixed-use project, but with only a small commercial section (around 4,357 sq. ft) — the majority will be luxury residential apartments. The plan features a 69-storey skyscraper.

Apartments will begin on the 9th floor and go up to the 66th, designed as spacious 3- and 4-BHK units with multipurpose rooms. Each floor will have two apartments with spectacular views of the Mahalaxmi Racecourse and the Arabian Sea.

Legacy of Famous Studio

The land was leased on June 2, 1943, by the then Bombay Municipal Corporation to founder J.B. Roongta, and Famous Studio was formally established in 1946. It quickly became a hub for film and TV production, with state-of-the-art equipment and skilled technicians. Over the decades, Famous Studio was honored by the Dadasaheb Phalke Awards and the Indian Motion Picture Association, recognizing its invaluable contribution to Indian cinema.

The studio offered services in creative, pre-production, production, post-production, VFX, CGI, and equipment rentals. Its clientele included ad agencies, film studios, production houses, broadcasters, and music labels. Many leading offices operated within the building. Notably, Dev Anand and Chetan Anand’s Navketan Films had its office at Room No. 147 here. The second floor housed a theatre for press shows, and thousands of films, TV serials, and reality shows were shot here. Legendary PRO Bunny Reuben and the well-known Kamat Photo studio also operated from here.

But sadly, this chapter of history is now set to fade away.

Interestingly, Famous Studio was already sold in April 2012 to Piramal Realty, which had plans for luxury residential redevelopment. Reports then suggested a ₹300 crore joint venture, with profits shared between Piramal and the Roongtas. However, the deal collapsed in 2013 for undisclosed reasons.

Now, sources say Raheja Corp and the Roongtas have been in talks for nearly three years. After stalled negotiations, progress was finally made in the past six months. Though the deal structure isn’t public yet, reports suggest formal agreements will be signed within weeks, with demolition expected before Christmas.

Industry buzz also hints that both Filmistan Studio (Goregaon) and Famous Studio (Mahalaxmi) might be demolished around the same time this Christmas. All eyes are now on when Famous Studio’s owners make the official announcement.

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