My Delhi Cinema Diary
When you cross a particular landmark, your thought goes back to the halcyon days when we were young, sprightly and immensely active. During my last visit to Delhi I crossed this landmark theater named after the area where it is located. This was a time when it was an elite place where selected English movies were screened and hence only those people came who could pay little higher rates. Those were different days when the lumpen crowd never entered where they appeared alien. I saw Ruth Prawer Jhabvala's "Heat and Dust" here in 1983.We lived nearer to this auditorium and hence could afford to walk back at night, as autos were unwilling to take short distance passengers.
In 1959, Delite Cinema had an imposing tall building in Central Delhi. It was considered to be the tallest building in Delhi in those years. Whenever I went to Chandni Chowk by Bus, I would see this newest air conditioned theater across the Ram Leela Ground leaving an urge to go and see a movie there. Yes I went to see BEDARD ZAMANA KYA JAANE an Ashok Kumar starer. The Delhi Stock Exchange building came up next door in the 1970s but even in 1959 it was said that the Cinema was built on the most expensive land then.
In Dec.2015 when I was staying in Lajpatnagar, I had a chance to view this Hall from far. Lajpatnagar was an upcoming community in those days of 1959 as Delhi's colonized area did not extend beyond Nowrojji Nagar. We went to see a movie called "HUM HINDUSTANI' and we went by the older form of Metro rail getting down at the Lajpatnagar (Jangpura) station from where it was a walking distance. Sunil Dutt was a hero in this film which had that famous song " Chhoddo Kal ki Baatein, Kal ki Baat Purani" I think it was the first film where Usha Khanna scored the musical.
This is Filmistan in Model Basti, Rani Jhansi Road, Karol Bagh now closed and perhaps may turn in to a Cineplex or MacDonald's joint. In the 1966 we had a long stay in Delhi and during that stay we saw the film "GUIDE" which starred the evergreen Dev Anand , Waheeda Rehman and Kishore Sahu. Based on the novel by with a similar name the film was an exceptional success, with some wonderful music by SD Burman. Reading about Kishore Sahu I learnt that during the Divorce proceedings his first wife alleged that Kishore was a "Namard"(Impotent) and hence she was seeking a separation. Kishore Sahu got up and said "My Honor Yes I am Namard" but later when he remarried he had three children from his second wife.One of his son Rohit Sahu faced rape charges registered by his maid. It is also learnt that he wrote a book after his release on this experience. Kishore Sahu was the son of an illustrious family of Chhatisgarh.
Kamal Theater was built in 1970s in the quieter area of Safdarjung extension. It was a beautiful theater in those days.We were lucky to get a ticket here in the evening show for a movie called "Dastaan" starring thespian Dilip Kumar and Sharmila Tagore. This was a remake of "Afshana" an Ashok Kumar starrer. The Theater has since closed and is now a Mall, a fate which has overtaken most of the single screen Cinema Halls all over the country.
This is the image of the renovated Odeon Cinema now owned by the BIG Cinemas, a Reliance venture. When we went for training at New Delhi in 1966, I saw one of the most discussed movie of those days "The Sound of Music" in this Cinema but in the lower stalls. The Tickets for Balcony and all upper stalls were sold out. A few days later, I went with some friend to see this movie again but still could not get the upper stalls ticket and had to crane our neck to see this wonderful Julie Andrews film. The song "A few of my favorite things" was the most well known song of those days and for many years thereafter. Odeon Cinema was started in 1939 but was closed for many years around 2006 when the single screen theaters faced a battle for survival. Now it is a different genre of the Hall with many unique features.
Regal Theater is a landmark in Delhi, located right in the outer circle of New Delhi and on the link road leading to many North Delhi areas. This was the first theater of Delhi built in 1932 and also the first to screen Cinamascope movies in 1954.(The Robe). Known for its colonial design with a Hotel with same name on the Top whose windows give a panoramic view of the traffic below, the theater now has fallen to bad years screening semi porn movies. In 1959 I saw the well known film here, "Chhoti Bahen" a film whose song "Bhaiya Mori Rakhi kay Bandhan Ko Nibhana"is still heard every year on the Raksha Bandhan Day. Starring Nanda and veteran Rehman, the movie was the most popular those days. One of its other song " Jaon Kahan Batta E Dil, Duniya Badi hai Sangdil " sung by Mukesh is still my favorite song. In 1979 we saw another film "Junoon" in this theater. Made by Shashi Kapoor and Shyam Benegal, this critically acclaimed film was based on the novel of Ruskin Bond "A Flight of Pigeons" It had music scored by Vanraj Bhatia . I recall Vanraj Bhatia saying something like this while receiving an Award a few years ago " Agar Jaldi nahi Maroogay tu Budhay ho Jaogay" (If you don't die early you will become Old).
Kashmere Gate was one of the elite areas of Delhi once . The construction of Connaught Place had taken away much of its importance but for a long time thereafter, Kashmere Gate continued to be the entertainment center for the people living in Civil Lines. One of its entertainment spot was "Ritz" theater built around 82 years ago. Failing to attract people this once popular movie Hall closed its shutters in 2009 but was renovated and reopened in 2012 by the Seth family who own this property. I saw "AASRA" film here in 1966 in the last show without thinking whether we will get conveyance at mid night. Luckily we got the Taxi at reasonable rates. Mala Sinha and Biswajit were the lead players of the film but this Satyen Bose film also had Balraj Sahni and Nirupa Roy playing stellar roles. I still like to hear one of its song "Neend Kabhi Rehti thi Ankhoon Mein Ab Rehtay hain Sawariyan"
This was the Uphaar Theater where the most tragic event of cinema watching took place in June 3, 1997 when the moviegoers were watching the film "Border". 59 people lost their life due to fire and stampede and 109 were left injured, some critically. The theater located in Green Park area of Delhi was rebuilt in 1973 and we saw the film "Aandhi" in 1975. This was the only film I saw with my elder sister while I was in Delhi attending a Course. This Sanjeev Kumar film based presumably on the life of Indira Gandhi was banned after imposition of Emergency but we were lucky to see it before it was banned. The film had some of the most wonderful songs penned by Gulzar.
There may be a few factual errors about time, place, location which may be pardoned. It is always enjoyable to go back into the memory lane. We can only remember the past, can not re live it.
Corporate
