The unforgettable magic and mystique of the movie halls

- ADVERTISEMENT -

They represent the true magic of the marquee, when you never minded the lack of air-conditioning or proper fans because you got revitalized by great Hindi, regional and Hollywood films, stars and music. And I am very sure that many a reader who has left Mumbai and other cities and towns from India will identify with what I am going to say.

What fired me to write this story? Recently a friend sent me a picture of vintage admission tickets from the 1970s and 1980s when multiplexes were unknown and rates were the same for all movies and every show. They did not vary as per demand, success, day or show timings. The seat numbers were scribbled almost illegibly, but the usher, in the dark hall, could read them perfectly and guide you to your seats. Even today, not just in Mumbai but all over the country, we have single-screen halls that have lost the battle and yet there are some standout survivors. Today, I am looking at the movie-watching hub of Mumbai, though the Southern tips had more “upmarket” (read air-conditioned and widescreen) movie halls that projected English movies more.

Among the nine cinemas whose tickets are displayed in the picture, Dreamland cinema (originally Krishna) near Grant Road, was noted for the Golden Jubilee of Tezaab in 1988 and I have myself watched films like Khatta Meetha and Do Thug there. Krishna cinema has been noted for film doyen, L.V. Prasad, later a Dadasaheb Phalke laureate and owner of Prasad VFX, besides being producer of blockbusters like Sasural, Milan, Khilona and Ek Duuje Ke Liye, who began working life there—as an usher! The current owner has promised a mini-theatre there after the new building comes up.

Shalimar, in Grant Road, opened in 1970 with Prem Pujari and was then noted for its excellent air-conditioning, which was one of the temptations that made me —as a kid—repeat entertainers like Anhonee (Sanjeev Kumar), Chori Mera Kaam and more in this cinema hall.

Naaz cinema, on Lamington Road, a stone’s throw from Dreamland, was as much noted for its art-deco interiors, as for almost 80 film trade offices where fortunes were made and unmade for 50 years! Imtihan, Yaadon Ki Baraat, Hum Kisise Kum Naheen—in those non-online days, I went twice each to this hall to book tickets as I repeated all these films. Correction: I needed an extra visit as Yaadon… was ‘Housefull’ when I first went!

A large hall with about 800 seats, it was a city landmark, and as far as the offices were concerned, this is where I first interviewed names like producer N.N. Sippy (Woh Kaun Thi?, Chor Machaye Shor, Kalicharan, Meri Jung) and some other names.

The Royal Opera House in Girgaum was originally precisely that in British times—an Opera House. After Independence, it became a movie hall, originally with benches, and its ushers would allow any latecomers to remain until the same point came in the next show! Later, with proper seating, and the internal ‘opera house’ structure maintained, it was an economic non-A/C theatre known for long runs (25-50 and even more weeks in some cases!) of classics like Do Raaste, Aa Gale Lag Jaa, Kora Kagaz, Roti Kapada Aur Makaan and Amar Akbar Anthony.  

The cinema hall closed down eons ago and has opened again in 2017 with artistic renovation as an event venue billed as “India’s only surviving Opera House.” It remains in demand for plays and other such occasions.

Imperial and Swastik cinemas, again on Lamington Road, were virtually like cottage industries. Nevertheless, they screened many an epic film as “main theatres”—in the olden days, there was this concept of a “main” theatre in which a film would be screened for as long as it was successful. Zanjeer was one of the blockbusters I watched in these now-defunct cinema halls. Imperial, of course, also saw the occasional rat scurrying under our seats, probably in search of leftover snacks!

The Opera House-Grant Road-Lamington Road-Bombay Central stretch of about 2.5 kilometers was the cinema hub for most South Mumbai people, and subject to theatre availability, even suburban residents would come downtown to watch movies here. Roxy cinema, diagonally opposite Opera House, still exists, re-created (!) as a multiplex in keeping with the times.

At the other end, Maratha Mandir still survives in original form, noted predominantly for three milestone films—Mughal-E-Azam, whose star-spangled premiere with prints arriving on elephants in 1960 was so epic, Khuda Gawah (1992), for which the screen and sound system were revamped, and finally, for Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, which is still running there at a very nominal rate in matinee shows, well past the 1000^th week and in a profitable way!

Apsara cinema, now closed, was another milestone, and when it opened, had Mumbai’s first-ever escalator. It downed shutters, reopened and closed down again. Almost diagonally opposite was Minerva, an ancient movie hall until the late 1960s that made way for a swanky cinema hall owned jointly by Shammi Kapoor and producer F.C. Mehra. This was one of the two theatres that screened Sholay in 70 mm and Stereophonic Sound when it released here in 1975.

Back then, the admission rates were hiked from Rs. 2.50 and Rs. 3.50 to Rs 3.50 and Rs. 5.50, as the length of the film reduced the daily shows from four to three, and that created resentment, as even one rupee had meaning! (As we all know, the current booking opened well-past the 75-week mark and the film ran for over 5 years!).

At a negligible distance around a corner was Novelty, another cinema hall that was housed in a tall building with multiple offices. The 1995 press screening of Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge was held here with Dolby DTS Sound, but I was again a frequent visitor for other movies.

Diana Talkies, on a bridge going West from Grant Road, Super cinema, bang opposite Shalimar and Central cinema and Majestic (both of which screened mostly Marathi movies, though the refurbished Central also screened Hollywood mega-movies and Hindi films as long as it existed) were also on the fringes of these areas.

What’s more, while the tickets were cheap, so were the snacks and the cold and hot beverages, and of course, the ice-creams. Maratha Mandir’s popcorn, the samosas at Naaz and the ice-creams at Opera House were all affordably delicious and deliciously affordable! Unlike the monotonous salesmen at ‘plexes even today, a single man served whatever you and your large group wanted literally within a minute. Some of these halls had minimum parking for two- and four-wheelers, and of course it was all free.

Cinema then was about having fun then, whether solo, as couples, with families or with friends, Money wasn’t the issue, manoranjan (entertainment was). Toilets weren’t exactly clean, seats not always comfortable or intact either (recliners were as unheard of then as laptops) and the crowd, in a hot theatre foyer, could lead to claustrophobia. But who was bothered when anyone from a Dilip Kumar to a Dharmendra or Salman Khan and the corresponding level of actresses, villains and songs could deliver memorable magic and gratify you each time?