Old Cinema Halls in Calcutta

This has been sent by Keith Hayward, to bring back all those old memories.

Hiya movie buffs and lovers of historical buildings ,

How well do you remember the bygone days when you used to spend a bit of leisure time in the fantasy world of the Calcutta cinemas . For sure you would have attended the Bandwagon shows run by KC Sen and also the Magic Shows at the New Empire . During those days , when the world was young for you , you would most likely have bought for the Stage Shows a ticket in the butta clouts ( cheap seats ) .This would have entitled you to sit in the dress circle, which was way up in the clouds . Probably , you would have bought a packet of chips , and horror of horrors , out of a sense of fun or jealously , you would have been tempted to throw the empty packet on the more affluent patrons sitting below your balcony .

When I was just a whipper snipper I used to be one of those to line up to obtain what some of us would say were tickets to the cheap seats . Down the track , when I secured a decent job, I was able to graduate to the more expensive dress circle / balcony seats .

As for me I recall taking several girlfriends to the c.halls and enjoying just a bit of the movies . Need I say more ??? One family even insisted that I take along my girlfriend's sister as chaperone . How awful ...and me a goodie two shoes too !

Anyway when I finally settled on the girl for me , we would usually go to the 9 pm shows whatever day of the week a picture , which we liked was showing . However , one day The Statesman Newspaper reported , that a Bengali couple after attending a movie had been assaulted , and robbed . Later on as the security situation in the city further deteriorated , we switched to 6pm shows , and then finally , we would only go the 3pm shows on Saturdays and Sundays . We seldom bought our seats in advance as we preferred to sit in the more expensive movie seats ( dress circle for movies ) . If push came to shove , we were quite willing to purchase seats from black market touts .

The pictures , which I have attached to this email , I hope , will bring back memories of those romantic times , which we spent in the Cinemas of Calcutta past . Sadly , I read sometime ago , that the West Bengal Government had banned or restricted the import of English films .

The Globe Cinema is very conveniently located on Lindsay St. near the Fair Lawn and Lytton Hotels on Sudder St. , and close to the New Market . As you know , Nizam is within walking distance .


The Elite Cinema as the pictures will show has such a classy interior. Besides it is so conveniently located next to Nizam and the New Market .




The New Empire is still going strong , and now , has the added attraction of KFC on its premises . Commonwealth Jewellers used to be at the side of the building , but I do not know , if it is still there .




The Lighthouse Cinema seems to be still functioning , but I understand , that there are clothing shops within its premises .

The Metro Cinema on Chowringhee Road ( now J. Nehru Rd ) has been refurbished and has an impressive interior . However , I am not aware , if the nick knack sellers at the lane at the side of the building are still plying their trade .


The Paradise Cinema on Dharamatallah St . looks in the picture that it could do with a whitewash . I don't remember going to it .

The Regal Cinema is located on J.Nehru Rd. It was the least popular of the Cinemas as it was noted for its bug infested cane seating . It would play , ' Tiger Rag ' , before it started the movie .

Sadly, the Minerva Cinema opposite the UP/Bihari Restaurants is no more , as it has been demolished, and a multiplex building has now risen on the site .

You might be interested to know that Bollywood produces over 800 movies annually and some of them are seen by over 11.8 million Indians , who have cable television .

Have you seen some of these top ten films on India ? -----

Monsoon Wedding , Mr and Mrs Iyer , Gandhi , Bollywood Calling , Earth , Hyderabad Blues , English August , Salaam Bombay , A Train To Pakistan , A Passage To India .