Bombay's Liberty Cinema -- A Write-up

[Afzal A. Khan]

Here is a write-up that appeared recently in the Times of India.

Afzal

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MUMBAI: Liberty Cinema is arguably one of Mumbai's most sumptuous
art deco theatres. But ever since 2005 when multiplexes began opening,
it has had few takers. As with all single screen cinemas, competition
from multiplexes and home video has taken a toll on business.

In an attempt to make the theatre sustainable, owner Nazir Hoosein, 72,
is expanding Liberty's offerings to include art forms such as
alternative cinema and performances. While screenings of Hindi movies
will continue, the theatre will host festivals of foreign films and
perhaps even drama and music concerts. The first such event is a
festival of French cinema organized by the Alliance Francaise from June
22-24. "The idea is that the property survives," Hoosein says. "The idea
is not to make me a multi-millionaire. That would happen if I sold it."

Liberty has also been crippled, Hoosein says, by the entertainment
tax-theatres have to pay 45%-and the Rent Act. One wing of Liberty has
offices but because the building falls within the purview of the Rent
Act, Hoosein says he can only charge his tenants Re 1 per sq ft.

Liberty opened on March 21, 1949, with Mehboob Khan's Andaz, starring
Raj Kapoor, Nargis and Dilip Kumar. It was built by Hoosein's father,
Habib Hoosein, and designed by British architect M A Riddley Abbott.
When Abbott died a year after construction began in 1947, Indian
architects John Fernandes and Waman Namjoshi took over. They used wood
panelling of Canadian cedar and Burma teak and art deco motifs such as
ziggurat door handles, a mirror with cascading border and fountains with
recessed lights.

Hoosein says his father ran 45 small cinemas that catered to army men
stationed between Mumbai, Nashik and Pune during World War II. After the
war, Habib Hoosein built a single theatre. "By then, Hindi cinema was
beginning to cry out for a flag-bearer," says Hoosein, who was nine when
Andaz premiered. "Eros, Regal and Strand were English theatres. There
was a need and we catered to that."

Hoosein got involved in the theatre after his father died in 1971. He
had a career in motor sports-he founded the Himalayan Rally and has been
a steward for Formula One. Hoosein fought a legal battle to retrieve the
theatre from a group of investors that had been running it. By early
1990s when he took control, Liberty "was like a porn house. It got the
lousiest films and wasn't well maintained".

Liberty's fortunes were turned around by Sooraj Barjatya's Hum Aapke
Hain Kaun, which ran houseful for 44 weeks. The film played there for a
total 125 weeks.

Theatre director Vikram Kapadia, who was consulted about the hall's
suitability for performances, says Hoosein's agenda "is fantastic for
the arts. When I revisited it, the splendour of cinema came back to me".

Iconic theatre

Liberty opened in 1949 with Mehboob Khan's Andaz starring Dilip Kumar,
Nargis and Raj Kapoor. V Shantaram's Jhanak Jhanak Payal Baje (1955) and
Mehboob Khan's Mother India (1957) are among the films that had
successful runs at Liberty. In 1994, Sooraj Barjatya's Hum Aapke Hain
Kaun ran to packed houses for 44 straight weeks. The film played at the
theatre for a total of 125 weeks. Hoosein says that Barjatya wanted to
premiere the film at Liberty on the condition that a new sound system be
installed. "I said to him 'That will cost me Rs 10 lakh,'" Hoosein says.
"'What happens if your picture bombs?' Barjatya said 'If our picture
bombs, we will pay you Rs 10 lakh and take the system away.'"

[Sukesh]

Afzal Saheb

Liberty is one of the finest and luxurious cinemas ever built.
I have seen a very large number of films in the 60s/70s.
Upkar was another film which had a very long run there.
Do you recall other films that were released at Liberty.

Regards
Sukesh

[Sukesh]

On May 18, 9:10 pm, "Afzal A. Khan" <me_af...@privacy.net> wrote:

This may be of interest. with images of the theatre.

Is the Curtain Drawing on Mumbai’s Art Deco Cinemas?

http://blogs.wsj.com/indiarealtime/2012/04/19/is-the-curtain-drawing-on-mumbais-art-deco-cinemas/

[Sukesh]

On May 18, 9:10 pm, "Afzal A. Khan" <me_af...@privacy.net> wrote:

Afzal Saheb

One of the finest cinema halls ever to be built. Its byline used to
'Showplace of the Nation" - how very apt.
I have seen a very large films there in the 60s and 70s.
Another film that a very long run there was 'Upkar'.
Do you recall other films?

Regards
Sukesh