English: The National Museum of Indian Cinema was inaugurated by Hon’ble Prime Minister of India on 19th January, 2019 at the Films Division Complex, Pedder Road, Mumbai. The Museum is open to the public from Tuesday to Sunday (11 AM to 6 PM) and will remain closed on Mondays and Public Holidays.

At India’s first cinema museum, a journey from silent films to special effects

The National Museum of Indian Cinema in Mumbai is as expansive as the country’s film industries.

A boy spins a charkha while intently peering at a screen before him. He stays rooted to the spot for a few minutes, turning the wheel backward and forward. A few moments later, it becomes clear that he is trying to operate an interactive exhibit. On the screen appears to be a timeline with key dates and information. Turning the charkha makes the timeline move. But turn it too much or too little and the words get cut off. A short distance away, Mahatma Gandhi sits still on a bench watching endless loops of the 1943 film Ram Rajya while people line up to take selfies with him.

It’s the first weekend after its inauguration and these scenes are from the National Museum of Indian Cinema in Mumbai. A Gandhi and Cinema section has been incorporated as part of the government’s efforts to commemorate 150 years of the Mahatma’s birth anniversary, but the museum has a lot more to offer.