About Us | National Museum of Indian Cinema

The National Museum of Indian Cinema was established with an aim to showcase the rich cinematic history of India as well as to encapsulate socio-cultural history of India as revealed through the evolution of motion-pictures. Cinema is an integral part of our lives. It is a vibrant world of emotions and expressions, of adventures and fantasies, of expectations and realities, and of dreams and realizations. Out of the numerous art forms that have evolved alongside the human race, Cinema is a relatively newer yet one of the most popular art forms – of entertainment, education, employment, as well as a means to enlightenment for many.

Indian Cinema has been around for more than 100 years now. Today, India has the unique distinction of producing the largest number of feature films in the world every year. Indian films and filmmakers are admired all over the globe for their uniqueness, aesthetic quality, and the entertainment quotient.

A visit to the National Museum of Indian Cinema can transport us into a world of fascinating fantasies. It is the spark that ignites imagination. Talking about Indian Cinema, its inception and progress happened almost alongside the world cinema. Indian artists and filmmakers quickly adapted to new innovations and ideas, thus keeping Indian Cinema at par with Global Cinema and the journey is spectacularly portrayed at NMIC.

NMIC is the only cinema museum in India that takes visitors on an absorbing journey of more than a century of Indian Cinema in a storytelling mode with the help of artefacts, visuals, music, and graphics. It is a monument that celebrates the world of Indian motion pictures. The museum is housed in two buildings, which are a combination of traditional heritage and marvellous modernity.

An idea of establishing a permanent institution, an abode of cinema that will celebrate India’s cinematic legacy was conceived, which led to the formation of the National Museum of Indian Cinema. This was an attempt to bring everything that defines Indian Cinema under one roof. The iconic Gulshan Mahal, in the heart of Bombay, a city that breathes History, was selected as the founding bed for this much anticipated temple of cinema. New Glass Building Galleries were added soon after, specifically designed and built to house the modern aspects of Indian filmmaking.

National Museum of Indian Cinema (NMIC), one of its kind, was inaugurated by Shri. Narendra Modi, Hon’ble Prime Minister of India, on 19th January 2019. The museum comes under the aegis of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India. It was designed and curated by the National Council of Science Museums, Ministry of Culture.

The journey to explore the world of Cinema at NMIC begins through the vintage galleries of ‘Gulshan Mahal’, a 19th century charming bungalow. Built in the Victorian-Gothic style of architecture, Gulshan Mahal was once known as ‘Gulshan-e-Abad’ (Garden of Prosperity). Gulshan-e- Abad consisted of 5 acres of land overlooking the spectacular Arabian Sea, and was once famous for its musical programmes and cultural gatherings. It is one of the oldest heritage structures in the city of Mumbai which is still actively in use.

Gulshan-e-Abad was owned by Peerbhoy Khalakdina (1816-1868), a merchant from Kutch, Gujarat. Gulshan Mahal has not only been a witness, but also an active participant in some of the milestone events in our History. It was turned into a makeshift hospital during the Second World War. It became an evacuee property after the partition of India, and came under the authority of the Indian Government.

From 1949 onwards, it also acted as a temporary campus for the famous Jai Hind College in Mumbai. In the post-independence era, this building housed the office of Documentary Films of India and Films Division till 1976. It has also been a favourite shooting location for the film industry, and popular films such as ‘Munnabhai M.B.B.S.’ and ‘Hulchul’ were shot in Gulshan Mahal. Apart from the films, numerous documentaries on various topics related to cinema have been shot at Gulshan Mahal.

The present Gulshan Mahal is an ASI Grade-II heritage structure, and winner of the ‘Urban Heritage Award 2001’, given by Indian Heritage Society, Mumbai. It is a beautifully restored heritage monument that takes visitors on a journey of the early history of the motion pictures in India. A visit to the Gulshan Mahal will provide you with your own moments of peace and tranquillity in the hustle and bustle of the city that never stops.