The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : Requiem for a famous landmark

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Thursday, May 01, 2008
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Requiem for a famous landmark

Demolition to begin from May 5

Photo: NAGARA GOPAL

CHANGING TIMES: Wistful Sangeet theatre owner S.S. Misra on Wednesday.

HYDERABAD: It provided an ideal setting for romances to blossom, get friends and family together for a pleasant outing and of course, watch a good movie. Sandwiches, rolls, coffee and soft drinks served as perfect accompaniments at Sangeet cinema.

If you haven’t realised yet, the theatre will be shut down from Friday. Thursday’s second show of ‘Tashan’ will be the last screening before curtains come down permanently. “We will begin demolition from Monday,” said S.S. Misra, proprietor, a tad wistfully.

“I do not know whether I should be happy about the new multiplex or sad the old theatre which, I have nurtured for 39 years, will be no more,” he says, having been on the site when it was being built by his father Jainarayan Misra.

Builders all

His father and grandfather, Pandit Ramkishore Misra, originally hailing from UP, were instrumental in constructing some of the most famous landmarks like the High Court, Osmania General Hospital, O.U. Engineering College, etc.

They also built theatres - Kamal, Nataraj, Anand and Basant.

But his father was not completely into film exhibition and it was only when young Mr. Misra took over that serious scouting for good English films happened. “Hyderabad soon became one of the top three revenue earners for Hollywood films,” he recalls.

Ambitious plans

A four screen multiplex with 1,100 seats, food courts and shopping arcade with double cellar parking is to come up in two years at the site.

Mr. Misra has “dreams of providing top-class comfort to the patrons” without short charging them either on price or quality.

“Audience tastes have changed and only a multiplex can cater to different cine tastes,” he avers. “Camelot” was the first film screened here and over the years, it hosted some of the biggest blockbusters.

The theatre also gave a platform for a Nagesh Kukunoor, Shekar Kammula and Chandra Siddharth to make their debuts.

“I personally choose the movies, always clear there should be no vulgarity so that the entire family is not put to embarrassment,” he explains. “The new complex will reflect the façade and ambience of the old theatre,” he assures. But, for the last few days he has been having sleepless nights of having to let go his baby.

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