Written by: Haroon Shuaib
Posted on: February 16, 2024 | 
| 中文
Tongas were often used to announce the release of new films
It will not be wrong to say that the magic of single screen cinemas, and the enchanting spaces that mushroomed in the hearts of all significant cities and towns across the subcontinent, has waned. Those charming places of leisure, once considered cultural hubs after the arrival of motion pictures in this part of the world in 1896, are almost wiped out. The Watson Hotel in Bombay by Lumiere Brothers showcased six films. What is missing is the joy one felt on a visit to the local single screen cinema, the kitsch beauty of giant-sized hand-painted hoardings, and the rush felt after listening to the announcement about the latest film being loudly proclaimed from large speakers of a wandering tonga (two wheeled horse cart). What increased the charm and appeal were the monochromatic advertisements urging cinema lovers to catch the next show, and there was the excitement of queuing up at the iron grill of the box office to secure the tickets. The ultimate pleasure was of settling down into those cushioned seats after passing through grimly lit cinema corridors, and watch walking talking images of ones’ favorite matinée idol, chocolate hero or dream girl. Those who are born in the age of shiny multiplexes will never have this unique experience. It is hard to believe that Pakistan was once a country where the single screen large cinemas thrived, where there were over 500 such cinemas across the country, with over 150 cinemas in Sindh alone.
A single screen cinema in Lahore during the late 1980s
Lahore was the film capital of the country, and cinema culture prevailed here well before 1947. According to some accounts almost 50 single screen cinemas dotted the city. Lahore’s oldest cinema was Regent, and the first talkie Urdu film Alam Ara was produced in 1931, while the first Punjabi film Heer Ranjha was produced in 1932. Another cinema in the early days was Plaza, named after Moti Sagar, a prominent film director. Constructed in 1933, it used to be the gentry’s favorite cinema, but after Partition, Sagar Theatre was converted into a cinema and named Plaza. Till mid-‘90s, its hall could seat around 700 people and was amongst the most popular, family-friendly places. Plaza’s first Pakistani owner was a businessman, Mohammad Afzaludin Effendi, and later W.Z. Ahmed. It was built on eight-kanals and had a massive exhibition hall that was also used for musical performances. Turkish and Irani troupes regularly performed here during the 1960-65 period. There were several other attractions for the public. According to Mona Kashif, granddaughter of the late M. A. Effendi, “a spooky skeleton would appear inside the hall and scrabble by, causing the audience to gasp, whenever a horror movie was showing. This added excitement to their experience!” The hall was believed to have the best acoustics at the time. The platform in front of the screen was so big that it would easily accommodate a bunch of live musicians, whose music accompanied silent movies. Once Pakistan’s film industry nosedived, it was impossible for it to hold regular film screenings and people stopped coming to watch what was on offer. This hall was finally shut down for good in 2017.
Plaza Cinema, Lahore
One pre-independence cinema that still stands, is situated at the meeting point of Temple and Lawrence Road with the Mall, and is called Regal Cinema. It was one of the three old film theatres in Lahore that screened quality English films, the other two being Plaza and Odeon. Regal Cinema also had the distinction of being affiliated with MGM Pakistan in the early seventies. MGM had an office in the Regal Cinema building. A neighboring commercial hub is Lakshi Chowk. Some popular cinemas offering locally made films were clustered around Lakshmi Chowk, including cinemas like Gulistan, Nishat, Rivoli, Prince, Palace, Talkies, Anguri, Moonlight and Metropole. Almost all have been demolished to make space for more lucrative purposes. Novelty Talkies Cinema, which had been in existence since 1938, was later renamed as Tarannum Cinema and was demolished in 2012.
Regal Cinema, Lahore
In 2013, Shabistan Cinema was revamped as Super Cinema, so that it could cater to a wider range of cinema-goers. Following the completion of the project, Shabistan Cinema became the first single screen cinema to be totally refurbished. While the façade was restored to its former glory, the interior now boasts state-of-the-art technology and a greater audience capacity.
Shabistan Cinema of Lakshmi Chowk, Lahore
In Karachi, Nazimabad was a veritable paradise for movie lovers, and had several cinema halls including Chaman, Nayab, Relax and Liberty. Shalimar Cinema was at the Petrol Pump Chowrangi, named after the first pump that was installed in that area in 1956. Other popular cinemas in the city were Regent, Nishat, Eros, Lyric, Rivoli, Capitol, Scala, Kohinoor, Paradise, Plaza, Reno, Jubilee, Rex and Naz, that have all faded away. Where once the Naz Cinema stood, now stands the Naz Plaza. Karachi’s Bambino Cinema, located in the busy Saddar area, held the distinction of being the busiest cinema of Pakistan, but now wears a deserted look. With the Capri and Nishat Cinemas right around the corner, Bambino was Pakistan’s first cinema to feature a 70mm film screen and a double balcony seating. One of these balconies was a space dedicated only for families. Karachi’s social and media historian Raju Jamil notes in an article, “The greatest desire of a cinema-goer was to visit Bambino Cinema that had effective cooling, best restaurant, heavenly ambiance and an atmosphere in the hall, where one could speak softly, laugh whole heartedly and cry quietly while watching a movie.” It was at Bambino that President Ayub Khan and his cabinet watched the 6 pm show of, the Lawrence of Arabia. Bambino Cinema’s owner has now converted it into a commercial plaza. Coming down from the busy Zaibunnisa Street, one could not miss the biggest cinema of Pakistan, Rio, that had the capacity to seat 1100 people in its huge hall, with an equally spacious parking. In its place now stands a shopping mall and a plaza. Much earlier than that, next to Rio, was an open-air cinema called Mayfair. Just before the Karachi Municipal Corporation building stood the Lighthouse Cinema, which usually showed films in Pushto. Other smaller screen cinemas included Nagina, Novelty, Society and Shama. Karachi also had Dreamland Cinema, the first ever drive-in cinema of Pakistan. It is said that on its opening day, the lineup of cars was for miles and the film screened on the opening night was Anjuman, starring Waheed Murad and Rani.
Karachi’s iconic Bambino Cinema, once a haven for moviegoers, has been turned into a commercial plaza.
Islamabad’s National Film Development Corporation (NAFDEC) Cinema was where I remember watching my first film on the big screen. It was James Cameron’s global hit film Titanic, about a doomed ship and a romance that drowned with its wreckage. The magic of cinema never seized to fascinate me after that. Residents of the capital city would also remember Melody Cinema near Aabpara, which unfortunately was burnt in an incident of arson. In the neighboring colonial cantonment town of Rawalpindi, Odeon and Plaza cinema on Mall Road had colonial architecture. Rawalpindi’s Odeon Cinema, an adjacent library and a park belonged to the Lansdowne Trust, established by Sardar Kirpal Singh Rai Bahadur and his brother Sardar Sujan Singh Rai Bahadur, with an aim to provide educational and recreational facilities to the residents of the Cantonment in 1881. The trust was named after Lord Henry Petty Fitzmaurice, 5th Marquess of Lansdowne, the Viceroy of India from 1884 to 1894. Both Odeon and Plaza cinemas have since faded away, with Odeon closing its doors forever in 2008. In the nearby Saddar area, Ciros Cinema was famous for its big screen and top of the line sound system of the time. Luckily, Ciros Cinema has stood the test of time, and despite a single screen and is still operating. Shabistan, Gulistan, Rialto and Naz Cinemas on the congested Muree Road were not as fortunate, and have closed down.
The crumbling building of Odeon Cinema in Rawalpindi
In Peshawar, the city from where some of the greatest cinematic thespians of the region hail, single screen cinemas have not fared any better. Out of the fifteen single screen cinemas of the city, seven oldest cinema houses include Shabistan, Palwasha, Capital, Falak Sair, Novelty, Metro, Sabrina and Ishrat, have all closed down. The historic Taj Mahal cinema of Abbottabad, built in 1948, was dismantled in 2022, after its owner sold the property. The Umpire Cinema was demolished by the Municipal Committee in 1996 to construct a commercial building, and the Royal Cinema was dismantled by the Cantonment Board for construction of a commercial plaza. The Nishat and Delight Cinemas in Quetta were established in 1930 and 1936, respectively. After Partition, Asmat, Paradise, Ghazi, Regal, Imdad and Rahat Cinemas were established, but none of those single screen cinemas are still operational. Hyderabad had 20 single screen cinemas, but by 2022 only two remained.
Pakistan Talkies, one of the oldest cinemas in Lahore
Digital video projection technology has enhanced the film watching experience manifold in modern multiplex environments, where each cinema may have four or more screens, showing different films simultaneously. But the spellbinding magic of a ray of light emanating from a 35 mm film projector, cutting through the darkness of a hall and falling on the silver screen remains unfazed. A yearning for those single screen cinemas of yesteryears is sorely missed by those who have experienced it.
The plaque at Sagar Theatre, Lahore
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