T-Series to Maddock, 4 companies bid for Film City project in Noida

NOIDA: Four film production companies, including T-Series, Maddock Films, and those owned by producers and directors Boney Kapoor and KC Bokadia, have submitted bids to develop the Film City near the upcoming Noida International Airport.
The first phase of the global tender for the project, whose plan has been revised several times because of a lack of interest from major global players, closed on Friday.The next stage will involve financial bids, where only companies that qualify in the current round will participate.
While the date for opening the financial bid is yet to be announced, it is expected that the developer company will be selected by January end.
Officials informed that except for T-Series, the three other bidders have formed a consortium to execute the project — Supersonic Technobuild Private Limited is a consortium of Maddock Films, Cape of Good Films LLP, and others; Bayview Projects LLP is headed by Boney Kapoor and others; and Lions Films Private Limited is led by KC Bokadia and others. T-series has submitted its bid under its parent company Super Cassettes Industries Pvt Ltd.
Officials said the technical bid for the Film City project, which will come up on 230 acres in the first phase in Sector 21 of the Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority (YEIDA) area, was opened on Friday afternoon.
YEIDA CEO Arun Vir Singh said, “Companies that clear the technical bid round will be called to participate in the next round. Finally, a report of the companies that also clear the financial bids will be presented before a PPP bid-evaluation committee. The shortlisted bidder's name will then be referred to the cabinet for approval.”
Chief minister Yogi Adityanath in September 2020 had announced to set up the country’s biggest and most beautiful film city in the state’s Gautam Budh Nagar. Subsequently, 1,000 acres were earmarked in Sector 21, about six km from the upcoming Noida airport, for the project. YEIDA floated global tenders twice in 2021 and 2022, but no company came forward because of the high project cost of Rs 7,200 crore.
Subsequently, modifications were introduced to make the project more feasible. The size of the project was reduced to 230 acres in the first phase, while the concession period was extended to 90 years along with other modifications.
YEIDA floated a global tender for the third time on September 30 last year with a revised project cost of Rs 1,510 crore.
Apart from film activities, villas, service apartments, malls and plazas will be constructed as a part of the project. As per the concession agreement, a film institute will required to be completed within three years, and the entire project within eight years.