From Bengaluru to Jaipur: Check out these 4 historical cinemas in India

Long before the 1990s, when modern multiplexes came about in the country, in India there thrived a bustling scene of single-screen theatres—serving the basic fare of popcorn, samosas, and tea. Entertaining audiences from all walks of life, these melting pots of cinematic entertainment accepted viewers in all their boisterous glory—all for a nominal fee. Coins were flung on screens, mid-movie applause and whistles were considered the norm, and cinema halls were defined by their collective, social spirit. 

According to a 2019 report, only 6,300 of these theatres are still functional, many of them having been converted to multiplexes or shut down due to insufficient business. Though many of these structures are poorly maintained and sparsely populated, their mere existence still provides a window into the country’s rich cinematic past, pioneered by Elphinstone Picture Palace in Kolkata—India’s first cinema hall built in 1907. 

From Mumbai, to Jaipur and all the way to Bengaluru, Bazaar India presents the four iconic cinema theatres of yore that you ought to know of. 

Golcha Cinema, Jaipur

Formerly known as Prem Prakash Talkies, the iconic Golcha Cinema is nestled in the heart of the walled city of Jaipur. Built in 1954 by the affluent Golcha clan, the theatre boasts a classic light pink, old-world facade—just like the surrounding Pink City. Though converted to a multiplex, the site retains many of its retro influences, including its interior architecture which consists of two grand staircases leading to the main hall, and the snacks menu that continues to sell the emblematic samosas. 

Capitol Cinema, Mumbai

The entertainment capital of India to date houses the city’s oldest theatre, Gaiety Theatre—renamed to Capitol Cinema in 1929—right next to the central Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, where millions of citizens cross it every day. Built in 1879 by a Parsi founder, this auditorium used to serve as a popular site for English, Marathi, and Gujarati theatre. The eye-catching Neoclassical exterior of the structure was rendered in a locally-available gray basalt, while the interiors consist of a horseshoe-shaped seating arc as well as special box seating. Though the building stands tall even today, its cinematic operations were shut years ago, and have been replaced by administrative offices. 

Ritz Cinema, Delhi

Situated right outside the bustling Interstate Bus Terminus in Kashmere Gate, Ritz originally went by the name of Capital in 1932, and was renamed in 1942 with the screening of PC Barua’s Jawab. This blue-and-red artifact was once the sanctuary for women cinema-goers, with its exclusive gender-specific seating section. It was also the only hall where one could reserve an entire box for a family. Fortunately, the now-upgraded facility still functions as a movie theatre, although divested of  its former glory. 

Everest Talkies, Bengaluru            

        
Built in 1932 in Bengaluru’s Frazer Town by civil contractor Maistry Chowriappa, Everest Talkies is the city’s oldest single-screen theatre, showcasing a combination of English, Tamil, and Hindi films. The British Raj-era cinema was revamped in 2008 and screened documentaries for free on the last Thursday of every month—an initiative by its third-generation owner to expand the site’s influence to a cultural hub. As of today, the space is no longer operational, but its silhouette and signage remain intact, reminding passersby of the city’s glorious erstwhile cinematic culture.