theatre Archives

No First Day, No Show: What It’s Like to Grow Up Without A Movie Theatre in Kashmir

Back in the day, Kashmir was breathtaking – the Dal Lake still had clean water, the entire valley didn’t smell of blood. And it had a cinema. Today, the valley doesn’t have a single working theatre. Nobody in Kashmir who is under 30 years old has had the privilege of watching a film in the theatre on the very day of its release.

Qurat ul July 24, 2016

Bollywood

Deepak Dobriyal, the Eternal Wingman

In Kuldip Patwal, his upcoming film, Deepak Dobriyal plays a grocer thrown in jail for a murder he claims he didn’t commit. Finally, a central role. If provided with substantial screen time, it might just be the role he’s been itching to play.

Anupam Kant July 12, 2016

People

The Silent Cinemas of Srinagar

The abuse faced by Dangal actor Zaira Wasim is a reminder of Kashmir's struggle with freedom of expression. This struggle reflects in its silent cinemas, shuttered since 1989.

Faisul Yaseen July 10, 2016

Gender

Despite Bollywood Influences, I am Raising Two Feminist Sons. Here’s How To Do It

My sons and I love watching Bollywood movies together, but finding a film devoid of misogyny, objectification of women, and innuendo is a task. How do I explain to my kids what is wrong with “6 din, Ladki in” when SRK is mouthing it as if it’s the most chivalrous way to woo a girl in Kal Ho Naa Ho?

Aarti Pathak July 1, 2016

Pop Culture

Adam Driver Might Not Win an Oscar. Why That’s Not Such a Bad Thing

In Noah Baumbach’s Marriage Story, Adam Driver's 24th outing in a career spanning a decade, the actor delivers everything that an Oscar-worthy performance stipulates – ingenuity, credibility, and a range of emotional intensity. Yet, he might not win the Oscar.

Anshul Gandhi May 29, 2016

Pop Culture

Last Day, Last Show: With Chandan Cinema Gone, Is This the End of Mumbai’s Affair With Single-Screens?

If you truly want to know what a Mumbai crowd is like there are only a few places you should go to: Wankhede Stadium or Chandan Cinema. But soon Chandan will give way for a shopping mall and a multiplex, with its history and unique stories being lost to time.

Jay Pikle April 2, 2016

People

The Life and Times of a Porn Theatre Usher

For the last 20 years, Shrivastav has been ushering folks who want to pleasure themselves to a humid, musty room in Mumbai’s Imperial Cinema. His job was simple: Fetching doctored reels, checking tickets, and sanitising the theatre with phenyl after the show.

Damian D'souza March 21, 2016