MUMBAI: The Film and Television Producers Guild of India has called upon Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan to support Subhash Ghai‘s Whistling Woods International in the wake of the Bombay High Court‘s directive to the filmmaker to hand over the land alloted to the institute in Filmcity.

In a letter sent to the chief minister, the Guild expressed its concern to sustain and strengthen Whistling Woods International (WWI) campus which it said was a significant part of the entertainment industry.

"It is well known to everyone in the Film Industry that Whistling Woods has played a significant role in the media and entertainment industry as we strongly believe that India needs such world class institutes in the country to train and improve the quality of the industry professionals in order to raise the standards of cinema and other entertainment mediums," the letter read.

In the letter, the Guild also pointed out that the film institute was needed to create the world-class pool of talent and to improve quality of rofessionals.

Last month, the high court held the joint venture agreement dated 30 May 2000, signed between Ghai‘s Mukta Arts and Maharashtra Film, Stage and Cultural Development Corporation (MFSCDC) as ‘illegal, arbitrary and without authority of law’.

In another move, the Film Federation of India (FFI) has recommended three names who were fit to be honoured with the next Dadasaheb Phalke Award– the highest national honour in Indian cinema. Among these names, the name of veteran actor Pran figures prominently.

Said President of the Film Federation of India Vinod Lamba, "Pran is one of the greatest character actors of his times with over 250 films to his credit and unforgettable performances in Jis Desh Mein Ganga Behti Hai, Upkaar and Zanjeer among many others.‘‘