Natraj Theatre fades into history, thanks to changing skyline of Secunderabad, Hyderabad

Hyderabad: Natraj on SD Road has become the latest stand-alone theatre to fade into history. An art-deco building, it was frequented by generations of school and college-goers and their parents. However, a commercial complex will replace the iconic Natraj.

Many of these cinema theatre landmarks have now gone missing. The locality would always be referred to by the biggest and most well-known theatres there. For example, Paradise Circle is not named after the famous restaurant but after Paradise Theatre, which used to stand there.

Anticipation and long queues

Those were the days when movie-goers had to wait in long queues outside the booking counters at theatres to get tickets for movies. The excitement was palpable: the huge cut-outs, the first-day crowds, the velvet curtains going up, the cold drinks, sandwiches, and mini samosas. The days before the Internet and Netflix came into our homes are almost unknown to this present generation.

Landmarks gone missing

Hyderabad and Secunderabad, home to some of the iconic theatres in the country, were well-known for the sheer number and good upkeep of cinema theatres for a long time. Out of the many theatres that screened Telugu, Hindi, English, and even Malayalam movies, many landmarks have now gone missing.

From Sangeet to Plaza to Odeon, while some of these have been razed down due to poor upkeep, many of them have been turned into commercial complexes, bringing in new technology.

Here are some of the iconic stand-alone theaters of yester-years in Secunderabad and Hyderabad that were, at their peak, a paradise for film buffs.

Zamrud

Also known as Zamrud Mahal Theatre, it was built in the 1940s and was one of the theatres where the Nizam and a select few watched movies. The theatre has sadly disappeared without a trace.

Liberty Theatre

This cinema hall was so popular that the bus stop and crossroads came to be known as Liberty. The theatre was also famous for its classic old-fashioned architecture. It screened lots of English movies, which later degenerated into B-grade English movies.

Sangeet Theatre

Located at Sangeetcrossroads, Sangeet 70mm was the landmark cinema hall that first brought Hollywood movies to the city. Over five decades old, Sangeet was the first cinema hall in Hyderabad to install Ultra Stereo Optical Sound in 1994 and later the Digital Theatre System in 1995. For the movie lovers of Secunderabad, this was where they first devoured English classics and, later on, Bollywood movies.

Tarakarama 70mm

This theater, located in Kacheguda, was famous for screening B-grade Malayalam movies of the time. The theatre underwent a major overhaul in 2013 and reopened as Asian Tarakarama Cineplex later.

Maheshwari and Parmeshwari

These relatively newer twin theaters came up in the '80s and soon became a landmark in the Kacheguda area. It had bling factor and perhaps the first escalator in a cinema theatre, which became a star attraction. The twin screens gave way to a multiplex in 2010 and became the Maheshwari Parameshwari INOX.

Dreamland Theatre in Secunderabad

Dreamland screened many English movies in the 1960s but is now used as a prayer hall.

Sterling and Skyline Theatres

These twin theatres, a major landmark in Basheerbagh in the 1990s, were the Hollywood movie lovers’ paradise. There was ample parking space, and the famous eateries near the theatre were an added attraction. Many English blockbusters and Bond movies enjoyed successful runs here . The theatre was shut down in 2005 to give way to high-rise apartments.

Odeon

The complex contained Odeon 70mm, Odeon Deluxe, and Mini Odeon. The three theaters at RTC crossroads were an entertainment hub and popular release centers for Telugu blockbusters for decades.

There are many other theatres like Plaza, Manohar, Minerva, Chitra, Ajanta, Natraj, Farheen, Deepak, and Sudarshan, each with its bit of history. People in Hyderabad take pride in their past and still love watching movies in single theaters. If provided with better screens, technology, and comfort, people will frequent theatres for nostalgia and old time’s sake.

Fond Memories and Nostalgia Shared

Ajai Maru, a farmer who has lived in Secunderabad since the 1960s, bemoans the loss of these old iconic cinema theatres and says, “Those were the good old days when Bus Stops were named after theatres like Paradise, Sangeet, Ajanta, Plaza, Minerva, Manohar, and Anand. We have good memories of having watched classics like Sound of Music and Dr Zhivago in these stand-alone theatres. Nowadays, there are multiplexes everywhere, but no film seems to run or do well for more than a week.”

Anu Prasad, a retired senior teacher, says, “We spent many happy hours as kids watching old English and Hindi movies at Dreamland Cinema. We used to take a cycle rickshaw to Dreamland to watch movies on a half-price ticket or students' concession. Later on, I took my kids to watch movies there. The last movie we watched was ‘Ali Baba ChalisChor,’ starring Dharmendra, Hema Malini, and Zeenat Aman! I miss the eats in the lobby during the intermission and, above all, Dreamland Cinema House. Now it looks sodreary. A part of my childhood is lost!”

Vijaya Naidu says, “NT Rama Rao’s first 70mm Theater at Kacheguda was known as Ramakrishna 70mm. It was one of a kind with great reclining seat,s and it was centrally airconditioned. The first movie shown was DoctorZhivago, which I remember watching with my one-month-old baby boy in my lap.”

Mira Pawar, an author, says, “Natraj and Ajanta were two iconic theaters during my college days in Secunderabad, which are now brought down. These two theatres were located just a stone's throw from my college, and my friends and I would eagerly seize the opportunity to catch morning shows at these theatres. Watching movies in a theater back then offered a unique thrill that is difficult to replicate today. We also frequently visited the Anand Theater on SD Road, which is also brought down. This was another theatre where we spent many enjoyable mornings immersed in watching old films. Those mid to late-sixties experiences were truly fulfilling, leaving us with a sense of satisfaction after each screening. Today, with the proliferation of theaters in malls, the experience has changed significantly. It’s peculiar to head out for a movie while being surrounded by shops, constantly torn between the decision to shop or watch a film. Unfortunately, the enchanting allure of traditional moviegoing has faded away.”

Sujata Punjala, a civil engineer, says, “While growing up in Abids, our favorite theatres were Zammurud, Santosh, Sapna, and Ramakrishna, and as they were all close by, we would hop from one theatre to another for tickets. We would just use Deccan Chronicle to find out the movie timings and theatre and go there for tickets, unlike using the book my show app now. We sometimes would take a rickshaw towards Kachiguda for Tarakarama, Maheshwari, Parmeshwar, Shanthi, Venkatesh, and Kishore theatres. I miss the good old days when we used to go to Sandhya, Sudarshan, and Raja Deluxe theatres. That was a time when going for a movie was a big treat.”

People in Hyderabad take pride in their past and still love watching movies in single theaters. If provided with better screens, technology, and comfort, people will frequent theatres for nostalgia and old time’s sake.