07 September,2026 09:08 PM IST | Mumbai | Madhulika Ram Kavattur
Gaiety and Galaxy is recognised for its strong association with Mumbai’s cinema culture. File Pic
Moviegoers were left surprised on Monday afternoon after the iconic Gaiety Galaxy theatre in Bandra West was found shut, with several notices displayed around the cinema stating that shows had been cancelled because of non-renewal of its licence.
Around 12 notices were reportedly put up on the theatre's walls. The notices, mentioning Bandra police at the bottom, stated that 'the cinema hall had not renewed its licence and that further shows had been cancelled'.
According to Bandra police sources, the development followed an incident at the theatre on Sunday, when a group of alleged political activists reportedly arrived at the venue and created a disturbance over the non-premiere of Hanuman Ansh.
Following repeated arguments, the activists allegedly tore down posters of Mirzapur: The Movie. Police were subsequently called to the theatre and registered a case against those involved.
During the process, police checked the theatre's documents and found that its licence had reportedly not been renewed since 2021-22.
A senior police official confirmed that the theatre was directed to shut because it did not have a valid licence.
However, G-7 Cinemas executive director Manoj Desai gave a different reason for the closure.
Desai said some cables inside the theatre had burnt and needed to be replaced before screenings could resume. He said the management was arranging replacement cables from Lohar Chawl in south Mumbai.
He described the closure as a technical shutdown and said the screens would remain closed until the maintenance work was completed.
The theatre was reportedly closed after its final show late on Sunday evening, leaving visitors who arrived on Monday expecting to watch films surprised by the sudden shutdown.
Desai said the timing was unfortunate given the films currently playing, but stressed that the safety and proper functioning of the screens remained the priority.
The theatre's reopening date was not immediately clear.
The development has drawn attention as Gaiety Galaxy is one of Bandra's best-known cinema landmarks and has been a popular destination for filmgoers in Mumbai for several years.
