Bangalore's 'hall' of fame Elgin Talkies turns 100

CENTENARY YEAR: Despite the advent of multiplexes the legacy of this cinema hall lives on.

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Bangalore: Tucked away in the corner of Bangalore's Shivajinagar is the city’s first theatre Elgin Talkies, which is celebrating its centenary year.

The theatre’s 78-year-old projector reels out some of Bollywood's oldest flicks to whistles and catcalls for decades now.

Taking a trip down memory lane, owner of Elgin Talkies AS Krishnamurthy said, “The credit goes to my forefathers. I am just looking after their thing. Now what I am doing is just taking care of what they have left behind and obviously I am proud of it.”

As Krishnamurthy pours over the dog-eared record book, you can’t miss the nostalgia in his eyes. Known for getting the best releases in the olden days, Elgin has now come a long way and screens mostly re-run movies.

It's a legacy that lives on and though a renovation is on the cards, this institution, which heralded the birth of cinema in Bangalore, continues to enchant people across age and class.

At Rs 20 each, about 300 tickets are sold over four shows every day. Considering that each movie is screened for only a week, their shows are almost house-full. This is in spite of the advent of multiplexes and many independent theaters in Bangalore having shut shop.

“I have been working in this theatre since 12 years now. I have even worked with his (Krishnamurthy’s) father,” Manu, an old employee with the theater, said.

History is at every corner at the Elgin Talkies and in spite of the need to modernise, most hope that the old world charm will keep the show going on.