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India Today
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
- India Today
When cinema was a carnival: A love letter to India's single-screen theatres
It usually started a few days in advance. Someone would bring it up over dinner, maybe your father, circling the newspaper, saying, "That new Amitabh film is out. Let's go this Sunday." And just like that, plans were mother would start mentally preparing, which saree to wear, and what time to leave. You'd wonder if you'd get a Gold Spot during the interval. Your siblings would fight over who got to sit near the aisle. Sometimes, an uncle, cousin, or neighbor's child would be added to the plan, and no one day felt like a festival. You'd dress up, shoes polished, hair neatly parted. The journey to the theatre itself was part of the magic. Some piled into an old Fiat or Ambassador, some caught a crowded bus, and in smaller towns, families rode up in horse carts, tying the reins outside the theatre like it was a weekly fair. Delite Cinema, New Delhi By the time you reached the theatre, the smell of hot samosas and fresh paint on hand-painted posters would hit you. People from every walk of life there were men in safari suits, women in bright cotton sarees, kids clutching popcorn lines were long, but so was the excitement. And once the lights dimmed and the projector flickered to life, the whole hall, hundreds of strangers, laughed, cried, and clapped like one big wasn't just a movie. This was cinema, Indian style. A tradition that made theatres more than just buildings. They were memories in motion. Ask anyone who grew up in the '70s, '80s, or even the early '90s, and chances are their voice will soften, their eyes will mist just a bit, and they'll begin a sentence with: "There used to be this theatre near our house..."Ratan Chaturvedi, 65, Retired School Teacher, Kolkata (formerly Calcutta):"In those days, life moved slower - but emotions ran deep. I watched every film that came to the theatres, sometimes sneaking out of school with my friends just to catch the matinee show at New Empire or Lighthouse. My mother was a film lover too , we'd hold hands, take the tram, and queue up for tickets, hoping we'd get balcony seats. I still remember the thrill of black tickets being sold outside , and how those very films are now booked with a tap on Paytm. Some of my happiest schooltime memories were made inside those single screens, laughing, crying, and dreaming big with my friends."INDIA'S ICONIC SINGLE SCREENS Maratha Mandir cinema in Mumbai Some of India's oldest single-screen theatres were more than just places to watch films , they were landmarks of time. Maratha Mandir in Mumbai, still echoing with the romance of Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, holds the record for the longest continuous run of a film in Indian cinema history. In Chennai, the grand Sathyam Theatre stood as a symbol of Tamil cinema pride, while Kolkata's Elite and Metro once screened classics to packed halls of trench-coated theatres weren't just venues , they were rituals. People queued up for hours, sometimes days, to catch blockbusters like Sholay, Mughal-e-Azam, or Hum Aapke Hain when there were no streaming apps or spoiler alerts, these theatres were the only way to step into another world - and once a film played there, it didn't just live on the screen. It stayed with you. In the songs you hummed, the dialogues you repeated, and the way your heart felt full long after the credits Pillai, 84, Former Postmaster, Chennai:"I watched 'Sholay' 14 times at Sathyam Theatre. People would shout dialogues before the characters even said them. And during the action scenes? The whole hall became a stadium. You won't find that kind of madness in today's silent multiplexes."advertisementTHE BALCONY, THE BENCHES AND THE BOX Theatre seating was a mirror to society - sharply divided, yet united by circle: The dress circle drew office-goers and college students. And the stalls or benches - oh, what energy they had! Young boys whistled at dialogues, threw coins at the screen, and knew every line by heart. It was loud, chaotic, and utterly balcony was for families, dating couples, and the occasional local VIP. Parents carried sleeping toddlers and tiffin when tragedy struck on screen, everyone fell silent together. And when the hero triumphed, the entire hall erupted in applause - as if they'd all won something then there was the box , tucked away at the top corner of the theatre like a secret little cabin. As kids, we were keen to catch a glimpse behind the glass, wondering who was inside. Maybe a rich businessman, maybe someone famous. Those seats weren't just about a better view - they came with a sense of quiet Joshi, 82, Retired Railways Clerk, Mumbai:"Back then, a balcony ticket at Maratha Mandir was a luxury. We'd save for weeks. But the real fun was in the stalls - whistles, claps, someone even dancing in the aisles when a song came on. The theatre was alive. You didn't just watch the movie, you felt it with everyone around you."COLD DINKS, CHEEPS AND CUTLIS! The food wasn't gourmet, but it was unforgettable. Glass bottles of Gold Spot were sold at the seat with a clicking noice of bottle opener. Oily samosas, cutlets, and butter popcorn sold from steel trays by uniformed vendors shouting, "COLD DINKS! CHEEPS! CUTLES"Outside, the queues often stretched down the block. People planned movie days like weddings - booking tickets in advance, dressing up, carrying water bottles, sometimes even homemade theplas or sandwiches for the Khan, 75, Homemaker, Hyderabad:"We used to plan our entire Sunday around the show at Liberty Cinema. My husband would take me there when we were newly married. It wasn't just a film - it was our date, our escape. The samosas in the interval, the big ceiling fans, the hush when the national anthem played everything had its own magic."ARRIVAL IN STYLE - OR WHATEVER WORKEDOn any given movie day, the parking lot outside was a gallery of had families arriving in gleaming Impalas and Fiats, drivers waiting outside with steel lunchboxes. Right next to them were folks hopping off trams, buses, and even horse carts in smaller towns. Rickshaw drivers yelled over honking cars, hawkers sold movie-themed keychains, and ticket touts whispered sly deals near the didn't matter how you got there. What mattered was that you made it in time for the CALL: THE SLOW FADE With the rise of multiplexes in the 2000s, single screens began to fade , some converted into shopping complexes, others turned into warehouses, or simply left to crumble. The whistles died down. The ticket counters shut. The giant posters the memories? They linger. Memories of the smell of fresh paint on cut-outs. The chill of a steel armrest. The slight buzz in your ears from mono sound. The uncle who always shushed everyone. The child who screamed when the lights went out. Most of all, memories of a time when going to the movies wasn't just about watching , it was about feeling. Together. In the dark. Under the spell of a silver VS NOW: WHEN GOING TO THE MOVIES MEANT SOMETHING MORE There was a time when going to the movies felt like a mini festival. You didn't just decide last minute , it was planned days in advance. Moms packed homemade snacks in foil, dads checked the show timings in the newspaper, and everyone wore their best stood in long lines, hoping the "House Full" board wouldn't go up before your turn. And if it did, there was always that one man whispering "do ticket black mein hai" near the it's all just convenient. A few taps on an app, a QR code scan, and a movie in air-conditioned silence. It's cleaner, faster, easier - but sometimes, it feels like we left something behind in those creaky seats and echoing halls. Something noisy, messy, joyful - and deeply image credit: Vani Gupta
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Next 'Godzilla' Movie Reveals Epic Title as It Teases First Footage Ahead of 2027 Debut
The next film in the Monsterverse saga will be called Dan Stevens will reprise his role as Trapper Beasley. New cast members include Kaitlyn Dever, Delroy Lindo and Sam Neill arrives in theaters March 26, 2027Get ready for more Godzilla! On Friday, May 9, Warner Bros. and Legendary Pictures released the epic title for the Monsterverse saga's next film. The sequel to 2024's Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire will be called Godzilla x Kong: Supernova and releases in theaters on March 26, 2027. Along with the title reveal, a short teaser video released on YouTube gives a glimpse into the inner workings of the mysterious Monarch organization that tracks Titans. As people walk about the Monarch office, a voiceover says there have been numerous Titans sightings recently. A computer display shows a hotline — (240) MON-ARCH or 240-666-2724 — that fans can actually call to "report a Titan sighting" and receive an automated message. 'Thank you for calling the Monarch Community Support Hotline, your global resource for Titan response and relief. Your help reporting Titan sightings plays a critical role in keeping our world safe,' the call says. Directed by Grant Sputore, Supernova marks the sixth film for the franchise, which began with 2014's Godzilla. In 2024's New Empire, Godzilla and Kong united to battle against a powerful Titan threat, "The Empire," which emerged from the Hollow Earth. Along with what will likely be plenty of monster action, Dan Stevens will reprise his role as Trapper Beasley. New cast members include Kaitlyn Dever, Jack O'Connell, Delroy Lindo, Matthew Modine, Alycia Debnam-Carey and Sam Neill. Rebecca Hall, who played Dr. Ilene Andrews in New Empire, previously told PEOPLE how it can be challenging to remain serious on set while sharing time with giant CGI monsters. "When it comes to imagining Godzilla and Kong, that's tough," Hall said. "That's tough, because more often than not it's a tennis ball on a stick." "At one pivotal moment when [Kaylee Hottle's character] Jia reaches across and touches Kong's hand, they literally had a foam hand with a pointy finger that they were just putting up towards her. That was hard not to laugh at," she added. Read the original article on People
New York Times
15-02-2025
- Business
- New York Times
Home Builders Say Trump Tariffs Are Raising Construction Costs
Days after President Trump enacted 10 percent trade tariffs on all Chinese goods in early February, Bentley Zhao called the company that supplies his cabinetry, tiles and stone. The store manager told him to expect to see a 10 percent price increase for any materials coming from China. Mr. Zhao, the chief executive of New Empire, which builds high rises in New York City, was stunned to see the impact materialize so quickly. 'It's too fast,' said Mr. Zhao, 46. 'There's no time.' Chinese materials account for about a quarter of the $15 million materials budget for a 19-story condo, like the one he is currently building in Queens Plaza in Long Island City, Mr. Zhao estimated. A 10 percent increase would add around $375,000 to the overall budget, a manageable increase for a large project, he said. But Mr. Zhao is worried about larger tariffs to come. On Thursday, Mr. Trump announced sweeping plans for reciprocal tariffs that could upend global trade, and the home building industry is bracing for the impact. Some builders and developers say they are beginning to feel the squeeze: They have received contracts with escalation clauses to account for increased costs; waited as their suppliers delay updated price sheets for imported goods; and received bids that are only good for two weeks when typically they would hold for two or three months. 'If they increase an extra 30 percent or 60 percent like what the president said before, that will be trouble,' said Mr. Zhao, who develops mostly moderately-priced condos throughout the city. Mr. Zhao is a frequent political donor whose donations to President Trump include a $25,000 contribution in 2017 to his Victory Fund. The New Empire website has pictures of Mr. Zhao at various fund-raisers and events standing alongside Mr. Trump, former Vice President Mike Pence, and Eric Adams, who received donations from Mr. Zhao. (There is also a photo of President Joe Biden, who gave Mr. Zhao a lifetime achievement award for community service. Mr. Zhao has headed his family business since 2004.) Builders describe an unpredictable atmosphere where they are passing the burden of tariffs placed on them by vendors onto consumers. A house that is more expensive to build becomes more expensive to buy. Add in the risk of inflation from tariffs, and interest rates could rise in response, driving up costs even more, said Gregg Colburn, an associate professor of real estate at the University of Washington. At Avenue Studio, the custom cabinetry and closet designer that recently raised Mr. Zhao's prices, Tracy Wu, the store manager, has been looking for ways to control the price changes. 'We try to deal with the factories to see if there is any way to lower the cost, to change the materials to lower priced materials,' she said. But any price changes will go to their customers, and that even includes Mr. Zhao, who is an investor in Avenue Studio. 'What this is doing is creating additional uncertainty throughout the supply chain that complicates an already pretty complicated process — which is getting housing built,' said Professor Colburn. Tariffs come at a difficult moment for the housing industry. Last year, sales of existing homes sunk to their lowest level in 30 years, amid a punishing environment of high mortgage rates, expensive homes and scant inventory. A sudden spike in building costs could threaten to slow down the construction of new homes, exacerbating the national housing shortage. 'Anything we add to the cost of a house is just going to continue to lock people out of buying a new home,' said Carl Harris, a builder in Wichita, Kan., and the chairman of the National Association of Homebuilders. Spencer Levine, the president of RAL Companies, a New York City-based developer of hotels, offices and residences, has started receiving quotes for rebar, aluminum, glass and steel and facade systems for high rises that are good for only a month or even just two weeks. Normally, such price quotes are good for two or three months. His vendors have stocked their warehouses in anticipation of a spike in prices, he said. Mr. Levine said that the unreliability of what's to come has made it difficult to prepare for any price changes. 'It's the lack of definition in how it's being presented,' he said. On Feb. 4, the day President Trump announced 10 percent tariffs on all Chinese goods, Chris Morrison, a developer, received a bid from a general contractor for a five-bedroom home he is building in a Phoenix suburb. The bid included an escalation clause to account for increases in material costs from tariffs or higher labor costs from mass deportations. 'That threw me,' he said. Mr. Morrison's air-conditioner supplier, which imports the systems from Mexico, has not updated its price sheet yet. Worried about what he sees as ominous signs, Mr. Morrison told his contractor to sign off on bids to lock in prices as much as possible on the $2.6 million job. If the project's budget balloons, Mr. Morrison says he will simply raise the price of the house when he lists it. 'At the end of the day, that price becomes the norm six months later,' he said.
