Sunday’s morning newspaper reading had me in jolts. Not
because of Bangalore/Boston Bombings or Delhi rape. It said “Adarsha” theatre
will be demolished”. If you’re a movie buff and you’re a proud namma Bengaluru
resident from past 20+ years, then you’ll have a fair idea on what our city has
lost on the entertainment front.
If you think Bangalore has turned multi-ethnic after the IT
uprising, then you’re off beam. Bangalore’s cosmopolitan culture dates back to
early and late 80s. While Hyderabad and Chennai plays vernacular movies to a
greater extent even today, Bangalore has been offering a rich, diverse and
extravagant movie experience from ages. Hindi, English, Tamil, Telugu and even
Bengali and Malayalam movie fans have cherished their moments inside a
Bangalore cinema hall. And unlike today, those were the days where Kannada movie
industry was at its peak. Those were the days when Kannada movies were re made
in all other Indian languages.
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| ShankarNag's Symphony in MG Road (Now fame Lido) |
Along with movies, our movie going experience also has seen
a radical makeover. Thanks to technology! Those were the days where movie going
was merriment. The reason was very simple: It was the ultimate sort of
entertainment for us. There was no internet; no IPL and no 200+ entertainment
channels on television. I still remember the ecstasy of watching English movies
like Jurassic park, Jumanji and many others in theatres.
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| Plaza on MG Road (Now MG Road Metro station) |
Just like movies, the movie theaters were also equally
special. Not just because of movies, it would also mean a bunch of other things
followed by a movie. A good movie in the KG road/Majestic area would be
followed by Lunch @ Kamat, if it was Urvasi, it would mean, lunch at MTR, movie
in Navrang would always be accompanied by a visit to uncle’s place and so on.
My favorites were Galaxy and Symphony because it’d be followed by ice cream at LakeView,
MG road and a chance to play in lifts at dad’s office. I still recall those
movie going experiences because of such small pleasures. This is one of the
reasons why I still remember watching movies in Puttanna in Jayanagar,
Geetanjali in Malleswaram or Uma theatre than Inox Mantri or PVR Orion.
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| Puttanna theater - Jayanagar 4th Block (Now a complex) |
They say simplicity is the ultimate sophistication. That’s why,
for me, walking back home at 1 in the mid night was more fun than paying heavy
parking fee at Fun cinemas. A torino (Remember “The Only” soft drink of
yesteryears?) shared between me and my sis was, by far was more enjoyable
compared to today’s nachos and Popcorn combo in PVR. My dad getting tickets to
home and taking us was more exciting than today’s booking tickets online and
taking a print. Even today I enjoy audience’s satirical comments in an
individual theater more than our corporate audiences’ silence in multiplexes.
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| Uma theater in chamarajpet - All set to become history |
Even today, from the window seat of a bmtc bus that zips
through the busy KG road, I recall bunking classes and watching Duniya in
Majestic theatre and Joke Falls in Kalpana. Plaza, Adarsha, Swagath, Lido, Shanti,
Pallavi, Pushpanjali, Kino, Nanda and so many other theaters appear in front of
my eyes if I think of movie halls in Bangalore. While some have given way to Multiplexes
and malls, some have succumbed to the real estate roar to be converted to huge
concrete structures. I read on newspaper that efforts are being made to
demolish Uma theatre on Bull Temple Road to make way for a commercial complex.
How do I forget watching Dr. Rajkumar movies there?
It takes
time for me to arrive at the fact that in the necklace of Bangalore’s
cosmopolitan entertainment, so many pendants are missing and so many are in the
verge of getting lost. Alas, a true
Bangalorean will miss them forever!
