Opera House & Hollywood City Bangalore – 2 Photos 1940
Two rare 1940s photos of Bangalore’s Opera House and Hollywood City. Despite Bangalore’s (Bengaluru) rapid development, vestiges of the city’s historic past are still seen in the streets. One of them is the Opera House, located at the crossroads of Brigade Road and Residency Road.
Although built by the British, there seems no record of its exact year of construction, but probably between 1915 and 1920. Since cinema was in the nascent stage in the city at the time, the Opera House may have originally had operas and other live perfomances as entertainment for the citizens.
Consequently, it was transformed into a cinema theater at a later date. Looking at the poster near the entrance, an English cinema “Paris After Dark”, seems to have been playing at the time. It was a 1943 American war drama film. The second photo shows “Hollywood City Bangalore”. There are not many details about this location but it was probably a theme park during British era days.
Did you know – it has now become Samsung Opera House. The company describes it as an experience center, the only one of its kind in the world.
Past posts – Raja Ravi Varma’s Balamani Actress, 1902 Postcard., European Women In Bullock Cart British India, 1900 PC ., The Madras Iron Screw Pile Pier, 1863 Print., Buick Cars In Madras – Old Photo 1929.
