Despite being fascinating examples of architecture and history that are entwined with Mumbai's rise as India's film capital, its heritage cinema halls are facing a slow fadeout
A benevolent uncle had decided to play Santa Claus to the family well before Christmas by picking up tickets for Annie, the much-talked about Hollywood film that was being screened at Metro. "It must have cost you a lot to buy these tickets from a cinema hall in 'town', no?" wondered the mother at the thoughtful gesture of her cousin. "Ah! Never mind. The kids will enjoy it. It will be a Sunday well spent," assured the well-meaning uncle.
And so were off. Dressed in our Sunday best, and post an engaging hour-long commute on the local train, we disembarked at VT (Victoria Terminus) station. It was the 1980s, and everyone referred to the grand old terminus by its initials. A ten-minute walk later, the magnificent structure began to emerge, even as I could hear my mother's faint instructions in the background, reminding us young cousins to be careful as we attempted to cross the busy Metro/Dhobi Talao junction.
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It was love at first sight. The unique geometrical structure was unlike anything we had seen before. We stepped into the lobby of the swish single screen hall, our eyes soaking in every detail, from the neon lit interiors to its bright upholstery. An usher checked our ticket (we insisted on holding on to the ticket stub till the end of the show). Showcased in gilt-edged frames, English and Hindi film posters called out for our attention. The uncle pointed out to a board that showed a roaring lion with the words 'Metro — Where the Lion Roars'. A bell rang, announcing the start of the show. "The best is yet to come," he smiled, as we held on to his hand, a bag of salted popcorn in the other, and walked into the hall of wonders.
Three decades later, that memory is intact. Such is the power of cinema, and of cinema halls. This June 8, Metro will complete 79 years of its existence. No mean feat this, in today's day and age. This one-time stable for the Air Force was acquired by American entertainment giant Metro Goldwyn Mayer in 1936 on a lease of 999 years at a nominal annual ground rent of Re 1! Designed by well known firm Ditchburn & Mistri, it boasted of street-level shops, six levels of offices and a parking lot. The pinnacle of its Art Deco design was a tower while the interiors had a soda fountain, teak-clad columns, and two 15-ft-high aluminium and cut glass chandeliers. Digging into our archive, we learned that the lobby boasted of furniture by Wimbridge & Co, exposed metal doors and aluminium railings imported from the US and high steel-framed windows. The 1,500-seater cinema displayed a mix of Art Deco murals and art inspired from Hindu epics within and outside the lobby that were designed by professors from Sir JJ School of Art and executed by its students.
While Metro is now a multiplex, and is undergoing a renovation as we write this - it's timely to relook at the many other unique cinema halls that dot SoBo and central Mumbai. Each has a story to tell, a historic legacy to uphold, and above all, a claim to be celebrated as part of the city's cinematic heritage. Many are still standing (Regal, Capitol, to name a few) in dire need of support, while a few others (Grant Road's gems - Alfred, Imperial) have been forgotten, and could fade away in the coming decades.
We call ourselves the cinema capital of India, and yet these spaces that support the industry, lie in decay. It will be a shame if this heritage is not attended to in quick time. Already, present generations (and the next) cease to notice the existence of these many nameless highlights in the city's long, rich cinematic timeline. It will be Mumbai's loss if the curtains come down.
mid-day's Features Editor Fiona Fernandez relishes the city's sights, sounds, smells and stones...wherever the ink and the inclination takes her. She tweets @bombayana. Send your feedback to mailbag@mid-day.com
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