Sameer Raichur, the documentary photographer, has done multiple projects on the fading single-screen theatres of India. With his project ‘Cinema in Bangalore’, he turns the spotlight on the city. He tells us the details:
What inspired this project...
I was inspired by the contemporary work of German photographers Stefanie Zoche and Sabine Haubitz, who documented the facades of South Indian movie theaters. I was interested to talk about the unique experiences that these spaces enable for fans.
I have been working on this project since 2015. Theatres were and continue to be landmarks in everyday parlance in Bengaluru. I got pulled into the movie-viewing culture and got myself introduced to the subculture of fans pouring milk on film posters and dancing at the premier. The whole personality cult around the superstar or the hero worship is what got me curious. By reading more about hero worship, I learnt how the phenomenon permeates politics and allows superstars to convert their stardom into votes and eventually enter public office.
How many theatres did you cover?
As the work got bigger, I split the project into two. One was about the spaces and the other was more about the subculture of the first-day-first-show phenomenon, where I talk about the unique experiences witnessed inside the halls. I have covered most of the big single theatres in the city and a few in the other towns of the state. The pandemic has temporarily stalled the project.
Anecdotes that fascinated you...
KCN Mohan, the owner of the Navrang Theatre (in Rajajinagar), told me that back in the day, the government would ration colour film stock. That’s how black and white movies had a few songs in colour.
A lot of nostalgia prevails in these spaces, especially with operators or projectionists and their equipment. You find German equipment in some theatres. People who handle the projector had to write an exam for the job. There is a lot of love there.
They preserve the old film rolls even though they are so inflammable. Some of them have worked at the same place for 30-40 years.
Apart from the rise in multiplexes, why are single screens fading?
Earlier, Rajkumar, Shankar Nag and Vishnvardhan starred in films that carried a message. There was redemption for the lead characters. These days, movies are made for mass entertainment and promotion of hero worship. This alienates a section of audience. The upper middle class has almost stopped watching Kannada films due to this reason. There is a stigma attached to people who watch such Kannada movies. The industry took a hit when the production values came down and when they ignored the middle class. Also, real estate owners always have an eye on the landmark theatres, which sit on prime locations. I feel the government should support the single screens as they are cultural landmarks.
How has the pandemic affected theatre staff livelihoods?
I visited few theatres post the pandemic and saw some of the same faces. The owners are trying to retain their employees. Even then, the individual stories are heartbreaking. There has been a huge loss of livelihood, like the people who transport limited rolls of film from one theatre to another before the show starts. Other professions are under threat now, like those involved in pasting posters on the walls and make cut outs of superstars. Not to forget, the canteen staff and cleaners are integral to running the theatres. Their stories often go untold.
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