Empire Theater During The Colonial Era In Bangalore, 1935 Photo
A rare 1935 photograph of the Empire Theater on South Parade Road (now M G Road) during the colonial era in Bangalore. The theater opened in 1926, displayed an ornate façade, elaborate decorative details, and a prominent balcony during that time. Cinema became an impressive addition to the city’s growing entertainment scene.
Bangalore Cantonment had developed into a cosmopolitan center, and cinema became an important form of leisure for British military personnel, civil servants, and other residents. Over the years, numerous theaters appeared across the city, reflecting the growing popularity of motion pictures.
The Empire Theater was among Bangalore’s well-known colonial-era cinemas, alongside venues such as Liberty, Imperial, Opera, Rex and BRV. Some of the posters seen on the building provide a fascinating glimpse into the films being screened in the mid-1930s, including Crime Without Passion, Now and Forever and Cleopatra. The Empire remained part of Bangalore’s cinema heritage for decades, but the historic building was demolished in 2021, bringing an end to one of the city’s surviving links with its old theaterical past.
Did you know – Elgin Talkies, built in 1896 in Cantonment, was one of Bangalore’s earliest theaters and possibly one of South India’s as well. After more than a century of entertaining audiences, it finally closed down in December 2011.
