Single screen theatres struggle for survival as multiplexes thrive in Mangaluru

Sumedha V & Shivani Rao
September 5, 2017

Since the advent of multiplexes there has been a paradigm shift of cinemagoers, thereby decreasing the crowd at single screen talkies. “We do not see college students rushing into theatres the way they did before. We do not have luxurious facilities that multiplexes provide and hence cannot attract the youth these days. Having a single screen is another limitation,” says Ravi Shankar Rai the manager of Jyothi talkies. 

One among the oldest surviving landmarks happens to be Jyothi Talkies. Beginning under the franchise of Karnataka Theatres ltd (KTL), in 1946 Jyothi Talkies became a hub for leisure and family time. Other talkies started under KTL, in Udupi, Kasargod and Karkala have now been closed down leaving this the only surviving one. It has even made its name to platforms like ‘BookMyShow’. Located in one of the most popular areas of the city, Jyothi has given its name to the bus-stop near it.  

“There were times when people used to crowd near the gates whenever movies starring popular Sandalwood actors like Rajkumar and Vishnuvardhan used to be screened. Tickets used to even get sold in black. It isn’t the same anymore. The audience now depends upon the movie and ticket prices,” said Ramanath Bhandary, the part-time manager. Even if Tamil, Telegu, Malyalam and few famous English and Hindi movies are screened, those that gain a full house are usually Tulu and Kannada movies, he said. “Some movies are popularly demanded by the audience. We had to screen Ondu Motteya Kathe again on demand most recently,” he added. Ravi Shankar said that there was a proposal to convert the theatre into a multiplex. In order to keep the name alive it is planned not to re-christen it.

Other cinemas in Mangaluru, like Roopavani and Ramakanthi are also not doing very well. Ramakanthi was started in 1952 as one among the partnership businesses, along with the New Chitra talkies (then Hindustan talkies) and Central talkies (then Krishna talkies). “Back in the day, when we screened movies like The Ten Commandments and Maine Pyar Kiya, every show was houseful. In fact, Maine Pyar Kiya saw a historical record in our collection. Now we are struggling to survive. There is no use in any further investment on renovation or getting better technology. There is no competing with multiplexes,” said the manager of Ramakanthi for the last 30 years, R Vasanth Rao. The last English film the talkies screened was Titanic, as people don’t watch English movies here, he said. He added that now people come to watch only movies of Darshan and Sudeep, and that Kannada and Tulu movies run for 2-3 weeks sometimes. 

Now most of the audience of all these talkies comprise of labour class and those who cannot afford multiplexes. The coming of GST has proved to be yet another botheration to talkies. 18% tax on movie tickets (costing less than Rs. 100) means the costs have to go higher, which means they could lose more audience. 

Although the transition has taken place from reels to digitalisation, they still do not have facilities like 2K, 4K and 3D. The theatres feature wood-wool covered ceilings and walls for sound proofing, this in no way compares to modern sound systems of multiplexes. Not just this, the buildings are also very old and lack the glamorous look of malls.

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.
News Network
March 27,2024

lebenon.jpg

At least seven people have been killed when Israeli warplanes bombed an emergency center in southern Lebanon near the border with the 1948 Israeli-occupied territories with air-to-surface missiles, according to Lebanese security sources.

Two sources, speaking on condition of anonymity said early on Wednesday that the strike targeted the Islamic Group’s emergency and relief center in Lebanon’s southern village of Habbariyeh.

Jamaa Islamiya, a Lebanese group closely linked to the Gaza-based Palestinian resistance movement Hamas, said in a statement that “a number” of people had been killed, and called the strike a “heinous crime.”

An official from the group said “seven rescuers” were killed in the aerial assault.

Another Jamaa Islamiya official, also requesting anonymity, said a dozen medical staff were in the emergency center at the time of the strike, adding that bodies were being pulled from the rubble.

Lebanese lawmaker Hassan Mrad said “the Israeli aggression on Habbariyeh adds to the long list of Israeli crimes.”

Israel has been launching air strikes against Lebanon since the beginning of its onslaught against the Gaza Strip in early October.

An Israeli strike knocked down part of a building in the southern Lebanese city of Nabatiyeh on February 14, killing seven members of the same family, including a child, Lebanon’s official National News Agency said. A boy initially reported missing was found alive under the rubble.

In a separate Israeli attack, a woman and her two children were killed in the village of as-Sawana in southern Lebanon.

The Israeli regime launched its devastating hostilities in the Gaza Strip on October 7 after the territory’s Hamas-led Palestinian resistance groups carried out a surprise retaliatory attack, dubbed Operation Al-Aqsa Storm, against the occupying entity.

Israel's raids have resulted in retaliatory strikes from Hezbollah in support of the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip.

The movement has vowed to keep up its retaliatory operations as long as the Tel Aviv regime continues its onslaught on Gaza.

The Israeli campaign in Gaza has killed at least 32,414 people, most of them women and children. Another 74,787 individuals have also been wounded.

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.
News Network
March 19,2024

jeddah.jpg

Mangaluru: The Mangalore International Airport (MIA) will connect to a new domestic destination with the introduction of a non-stop flight to Tiruchirappalli International Airport in Tamil Nadu. 

The non-stop service, once-a-week, will operate on Wednesday (from TIA) and Thursday (from MIA), starting April 3. Air India Express will operate the flight.

The flight is expected to help those taking up a pilgrimage to Vailankani shrine.

Sources from the AIE said that the airline carrier decided to fly non-stop between the two southern Indian cities as a flight to Jeddah, which will start from April 3, arrives from Tiruchirappalli International Airport. 

“It is a ferry or positional flight from TIA to MIA. Instead of flying empty, the management has decided to run it as a commercial flight. This will help both passengers and the airline. The airline will deploy Boeing 737-800 aircraft with a 186-seater all-economy configuration on this route. 

The same flight, after landing in MIA, will further fly to Jeddah,” a source said. 

The flight IX 1498 will depart every Thursday at 5am from MIA to TIA. The TIA-MIA flight IX 1499 departs at 12.50pm. It is a one-hour nonstop flight. The same flights will also operate nonstop between Jeddah and MIA. 

The non-stop flight IX 499 will depart MIA at 2.50pm and reach King Abdulaziz International Airport, Jeddah at 6.25pm. The IX498, will depart from Jeddah at 7.25pm and reach MIA early at 3.40am.

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.
News Network
March 27,2024

hdkprajwal.jpg

Hassan: Former Prime Minister and JD(S) supremo H.D. Deve Gowda has announced that his son, former Karnataka Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy will contest from state's Mandya parliamentary seat as NDA candidate.

Deve Gowda told reporters on Tuesday that the decision to field Kumaraswamy, who is also JD(S) state president, in Lok Sabha polls from the Mandya seat was taken amid mounting public demand. "People are demanding that Kumaraswamy should contest from Mandya. In the core committee meeting as well, all members suggested that he should contest from Mandya," Deve Gowda said.

The former Chief Minister's son Nikhil Kumaraswamy had lost to independent candidate Sumalatha Ambareesh from Mandya in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

The JD(S) supremo further said that the name of senior leader Mallesh Babu has been finalised from the Kolar seat.

Deve Gowda's grandson and former Karnataka Minister H. D. Revanna's son sitting JD(S) MP Prajwal Revanna will be contesting as the NDA candidate from the Hassan seat.

Earlier in the day, Kumaraswamy in a media briefing indicated that he would contest from Mandya amid mounting public pressure on him.

Congress has fielded Venkatarame Gowda popularly known as ‘Star Chandru’ from the Mandya seat dominated by Vokkaligas. Star Chandru is a close associate of Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar.

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.