This elegant heritage building, built in 1933 in the Art Deco style of the 1920s-40s, was designed by Charles Stevens, son of the famous 19th-century architect, FW Stevens, and its interiors, with extensive mirror work, by Czech artist Karl Schara
Illustration/Uday Mohite
It looks as if another of Mumbai's beloved cinema theatres, Regal Cinema at Colaba, is in imminent danger of shutting down. I have many wonderful memories of seeing films there since my childhood, and feel a pang. This elegant heritage building, built in 1933 in the Art Deco style of the 1920s-40s, was designed by Charles Stevens, son of the famous 19th-century architect, FW Stevens, and its interiors, with extensive mirror work, by Czech artist Karl Schara.
Regal's owners, the Sidhwa family, have been in talks with a multiplex chain to add two more screens and a food court, but nothing has come of it so far. Am keen to join a #SaveRegal coalition. When I was young, it was a big family adventure to take a train from Santa Cruz, all the way to Churchgate. The highlight would be a visit to cousins at York House, Colaba, and finish with a film at Regal. I have seen many movies there, including The Sound of Music, My Fair Lady, Mary Poppins, and possibly, Hatari.
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Somewhere, I must have a blue booklet with the songs of The Sound of Music (1965) with Julie Andrews. I seem to remember Softy ice cream, that was squished into your cone from a tube, and gave your ice cream a fancy, Elvisy swirl on top. We squealed with excitement when we took the elevator. We usually had dinner at the Gateway of India: my mum would bring two dabbas, one would have dahi bhat with seasoning, and the other, sweet keshar bhat. All with a full moon and sea breeze. As we returned, my sister Sarayu and I would often doze off on our parents' shoulders.
While at St Xavier's College, I also had a weird Regal episode. I used to read to a blind guy, let's call him PP, for some years, and wrote his exams for him. One day, I was going to see a movie with friends, so I told him in advance I would miss one reading session, but make up for it in the next. But, during the interval of the movie at Regal, a handwritten slide appeared on the screen: "Meenakshi Shedde, please contact manager immediately." Shocked, I worried there was bad news from home. It was PP, sitting in the manager's office, demanding to know how dare I miss my reading session. Furious with the possessive creep, I never read to him again. Uff!
Such are my memories of Regal. Some years ago, I was able to connect those running Liberty, that other beleaguered, exquisite Art Deco cinema, with organisations that could help bring in audiences. It has since gathered some momentum, and hosted screenings by the Mumbai Film Festival, Kashish Mumbai International Queer Film Festival, Alliance Française's French Film Festival and others. I've visited the Pathé Tuschinski in Amsterdam, a spectacular Art Deco cinema built in 1921, that today is a bustling city hub with a smart programme catering to diverse audiences — children, youth, adults, senior citizens and corporates — with regular releases, previews, ladies' nights, classics, special events and parties. Let's together #SaveRegal.
Meenakshi Shedde is South Asia Consultant to the Berlin Film Festival, award-winning critic, curator to festivals worldwide and journalist. Reach her at Meenakshishedde@gmail.com
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