It’s curtains for Plaza theatre

It’s curtains for Plaza theatre

A shopping mall will replace the 69-year-old theatre which has even played host to ball dances for English soldiers in the 1930s.
Deccan Herald

One of the most popular and oldest cinema theatres on M G Road in Bangalore has pulled down shutters. The last show in this 69-year-old was on the night of March 17.

With this, memories of Bangalore in its yesteryear - of ball dances organised by English soldiers in the 1930s, the struggle of World War II in the 1940s, and the special screening for Maharaja of Mysore in 1959 - were also laid to rest. Its old neighbours–Blu Moon, Blu Diamond, Liberty, New Empire, Imperial and Lido–met their end a long time ago. It was decided that Plaza would be ‘put to sleep’ around October last year.

Multiplex culture
Its owner Niranjan Narrain could not protect the old and ailing theatre, with its creaky chairs and worn-out rugs, from the onslaught of swanky multiplexes that the modern-day Gen Y liked to inhibit. The 17,000 square feet space, bought by a Hyderabad-based property developer, will house yet another shopping mall.

Unaware of the developments, Bangaloreans continued to flock to Plaza theatre on Saturday, expecting to catch the latest release. Most of them were shocked to find the ‘Shut Down’ signboard displayed before the closed shutters. For many, who have not yet recovered from the news of the closure of Lido Theatre nearly two years ago, this was a complete party spoiler.

“Plaza was comfortable, but more importantly, it was economical with its tickets priced as low as Rs 30, Rs 50 and Rs 80. Now we will be forced to go to multiplexes and pay thrice the price,” rues Asha Ganapathi, a college student.

The land for Plaza Theatre was acquired by Arcot Narrain Swamy Mudaliar, great grandfather of Niranjan Narrain in early 1900. It was constructed by his son A S Krishna Swamy Mudaliar in 1936 and had since then brought Hollywood and Bollywood hits to Bangaloreans, for more than 69 years.