Vir Das, Vivek Agnihotri, Apurva Asrani get nostalgic as Mumbai’s iconic Eros Cinema is torn down

Vir Das decided to start auditioning as a performer after watching Rang De Basanti at Mumbai’s iconic single-screen theatre Eros Cinema. He revealed the same in his recent tweet as pictures of the cinema theatre being torn down on Saturday surfaced. Not only him but several celebrities, including Vivek Agnihotri, Onir and Apurva Asrani also tweeted talking about their memories associated with the theatre which entertained the people since 1938. (Also read: Vir Das, Nargis Fakhri, Ravi Kishan and more stars react to losing Blue Tick)

Vir wrote on Saturday, “Watched Rang De Basanti there. Had a job at CNBC, walked out of the theatre, decided to give being a performer a full shot, and started auditioning.” Earlier in the day, Bollywood writer-editor Apurva Asrani had shared a bunch of old pictures of Eros Cinema, along with a newer one and wrote, “Heartbreaking to see #ErosTheatre being torn down. This South Bombay Art Deco landmark, built in 1938, was where I bunked college to go to. It’s where I went on my first date & where my first film #Satya released in ’98. Sad that Mumbai can’t preserve its heritage buildings.”

Filmmaker Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri also responded to Apurva’s tweet. “Each time a single-screen theatre is torn down, a piece of my childhood dies. 4 of my films released here. Watched hundreds of films, specially Matinee shows of world films. But then I also understand practicality and viability….. #Nostalgia,” Vivek tweeted.

Filmmaker Onir also responded to Apurva’s tweet and he was more critical of the administration for not being able to nurture heritage buildings. He wrote, “The only thing that seems to matter is money .architectural history, memories of the city have no value. Shame on whoever chose to take over this landmark building and demolish it … instead of renovating it. @CMOMaharashtra please stop this and let our city nurture its heritage.”

Several movie buffs also responded to the development and lamented the loss of yet another single-screen theatre in the City Of Dreams. One of them wrote, “Single Screens should be renovated not torn. It’s extremely sad to see such things. Multiplexes monopolies are destroying the single screens. First major multiplexes started selling tickets for ₹75 and now when single Screens are getting shut down, they are enjoying their monopoly.”

The Eros Cinema, situated in Mumbai’s Churchgate is a part of the Victorian and Art Deco Ensemble of Mumbai, which was added to the list of World Heritage Sites in 2018. However, the theatre has been defunct since 2016. It was previously sealed due to legal disputes and was later unsealed on the Bombay High Court’s order. Unfortunately, the screening at the theatre never resumed. Currently, the building is being torn down to remodel it into a mall as per an India Today report.