After witnessing Rang De Basanti at Mumbai’s famed single-screen theater Eros Cinema, Vir Das made the decision to begin applying for art auditions. He made this announcement in a recent tweet after images of the cinema hall’s demolition appeared on Saturday. In addition to him, a number of famous personalities, like Vivek Agnihotri, Onir, and Apoorva Asrani, tweeted and discussed their recollections of the theater, which has been entertaining people since 1938.
Vir Das remembers the period when he first began holding artist auditions.
“Went there to watch Rang De Basanti. Got a job at CNBC, quit acting, decided to give acting a try full time, and began auditioning,” Vir tweeted on Saturday. It’s painful to see #ErosTheatre being torn down, tweeted Bollywood writer-editor Apoorva Asrani earlier in the day alongside a number of vintage and new photos of Eros Cinema. A South Bombay Art Deco example My destination was the 1938 landmark, where I skipped college to go. It is the location of my first date and the 1998 release of my first movie, #Satya. Sad The issue is that Bombay cannot maintain its historic structures.
Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri, a filmmaker, also responded to Apoorva’s post. “Every time a single-screen movie theater malfunctions, a memory from my youth is lost. Four of my movies were released here. hundreds of movies, mostly matinees of foreign films, were seen. However, I can also appreciate Hoon’s realism and viability. #nostalgia,” Vivek tweeted.
In a response to Apoorva’s tweet, filmmaker Onir further attacked the authorities for failing to preserve the historic structures. He declared, “Money is the only thing that matters. The memories of the city and the history of the architecture are worthless. Shame on whoever made the decision to demolish this ancient structure rather than renovate it after acquiring it. @CMOMaharashtra, kindly stop this so that our city can preserve its history.
In response to the news, many moviegoers expressed their disappointment at the loss of yet another single-screen theater in the city of dreams. Single screens should be restored rather than demolished, one of them wrote. Such sights are so depressing. Multiplex monopolies eliminate independent screens. The first major multiplex begins taking orders for tickets. 75 They are relishing their monopoly since single screens are now being shut down.
The Victorian and Art Deco Ensemble of Mumbai, which includes the Eros Cinema in Churchgate, Mumbai, was included in the list of World Heritage Sites in 2018. The theater has been shuttered since 2016, though. After a legal struggle, it was taken down on the Bombay High Court’s instructions. Regrettably, the theater’s screening did not continue. According to a story in India Today, the structure is currently being destroyed in order to be turned into a mall.