Way earlier than Netflix, YouTube, or even multiplex theatres, unmarried-display cinema halls and talkies ruled, a few relationship again to the ‘30s. These oldest cinema theatres in India now function vanguards of the bygone days. Tucked in bustling towns which now boast present day multiplexes, they may be a reminder of ways cinema theatres had been as soon as an vital cultural landmark in each town for bringing humans collectively below one roof. There are so many old cinemas near us, we just need to find them out.
Read on for the listing of the oldest cinema theatres in India
- Capitol Cinema, Mumbai
The oldest theatre withinside the town mounted manner again in 1879 on the then Victoria Terminus (now CST), Capitol Cinema hosted numerous performs all through the British era. The first actual display right here changed into for a British film, The Flag Lieutenant, which the then Governor and his spouse attended. With the boom of cinema, the theatre advanced right into a unmarried-display theatre. Despite its dilapidated shape, the theatre remains a memoir of Gothic production in Bombay.
- Poorna Theatre, Vizag
What began out as Sri Krishna Touring talkies in 1925 changed into, in 1930, transformed to the Poorna Theatre through Sri GK Mangaraju proper after electrification offerings had been to be had in Vizag. The theatre to begin with screened silent films like Bheeshma Pratijna, Nandanaar, and Gajendra Moksham. In 1949, the traditional Laila Majnu premiered withinside the refurbished theatre. Soon after, the cinema-scope facility changed into set up in 1955, making Poorna Theatre the primary such established order withinside the whole Andhra region. It is presently the longest-jogging film theatre in all of South India.
- Ritz Cinema and PVR Rivoli, Delhi
While it’s miles arguable as to that’s Delhi’s oldest cinema theatre, Ritz and Rivoli are pinnacle contenders. Approximately eighty years old, Ritz is placed on Lothian Road and boasts of a unmarried display to date. On the alternative hand, Rivoli, that’s now run through PVR, changed into mounted in 1934 and is the smallest cinema corridor in Connaught Place. Both of those theatres preserve to revel in a devoted clientele.
- Chaplin Cinema, Kolkata
Established in 1907 and higher referred to as Elphinstone Picture Palace, Chaplin Cinema is the primary cinema corridor in India. Founded through Jamshedji Framji Madan, now no longer simplest changed into it the primary of his chain of cinemas in British India, however additionally the primary everlasting film theatre in Calcutta. The Palace later changed into renamed Minerva and shortly began out screening Hollywood films for the fast-rising target target market in Calcutta. The neighborhood government took over whilst commercial enterprise slacked all through the Nineteen Seventies because of political unrest and renovated and renamed it, Chaplin.
- Saffire Theatre, Chennai
Built in 1964, Sapphire Theatre in Chennai changed into the primary 70mm theatre in India and the country’s first biggest multi-theatre complicated at the side of Blue Diamond and Emerald. It functioned from 1964 to 1994 and screened Hollywood films. This landmark cinema theatre began out its celluloid adventure with the screening of Cleopatra accompanied through classics like The Sound of Music, My Fair Lady and Lawrence of Arabia.
