Brand New Empire Theater In Colonial Bangalore, 1935 Photo
A 1935 photo of the brand-new Empire Theater in colonial Bangalore (Bengaluru). This is a rare photo of the newly completed Empire Theater on South Parade Road, now M G Road. Since Bangalore was a British Cantonment town movies were largely the best entertainment for the army and civil service officers at the time. Many had theaters sprung up during the course of the years.
The city once had an assorted collection of nearly 150 theaters. And the Empire was one among the charming colonial cinema halls like Liberty, Imperial, Opera, Rex, BRV, etc. However, it was mercilessly demolished in 2021. Thus taken away with it was a piece of the city’s old world charm. A closer look at the theater’s posters reveal the movies “Crime Without Passion”, “Now And Forever”, “Cleopatra”, etc. All were hollywood movies dating to 1934.
Did you know – built in 1896 Elgin Talkies in Shivajinagar was one of Bangalore’s first theaters and possibly South India’s as well, it shutdown in 2011.
Past posts – Watercolor Landscape Painting British India Secunderabad, 1930., Toddy Tappers of British Era Madras, 1900 Postca rd., View Of Bombay Fort & Harbour – Old Print 1840., Construction of Willingdon Island Kochi, 1929 Map.
