5 Theaters History - One Should Know!

These theatres defined how movies were watched in the 1900s and have helped Bengalureans make tons of memories since their opening. Here are the top 5 popular theaters and its history that one should know if you are living in Bangalore.

Kapali Theatre

Having run for 49 years, this movie theatre near majestic screened the most number of movies featuring Dr. Rajkumar and Ravichandran. During those days, it used to be a matter of pride to get Kapali Theatre to screen your movies! With a seating capacity of 1112, this used to be one of the biggest movie theaters in Asia.

Nataraj Theatre

With a capacity of 1100 seats, Nataraj Theatre was the second largest theatre in Bengaluru after Kapali. Having screened Kannada and Tamil movies for over 40 years, Vikram Vedha starring R. Madhavan turned out to be the last movie to be screened at this theatre which was a go-to for movie lovers all over Bengaluru.

Rex Theatre

Down in Brigade Road, Rex theatre was a landmark for many moviegoers which included students, couples, families, and many others. Started in the 1930s, Rex theater ran successfully, striking partnerships with 20th Century Fox and Columbia. They even had movies running for as long as 29 weeks!

Opera

What we see on the intersection of Brigade Road and Residency Road as the Samsung Opera House used to be a cinema hall in 1959. Having leased it out for 20 years, the legal battle for the owners began and did not end before 2003. Such is the trouble that came along with the ownership of prime property. What was once used by the British for exclusive events, and then as a cinema hall after independence did not last long enough; as legal issues crippled the once mighty Opera House.

Plaza Theatre

The foundations of the present Bengaluru metro on MG Road used to be the same for Plaza Theatre from 1936 until 2005. Modeled after the Piccadilly Circus in London, this theatre held associations with MGM Studios and Paramount Pictures. ‘The Ten Commandments’ was the longest running movie here – it ran successfully for 44 weeks! The movie theatre had to be shut down after the present generation owners did not wish to carry on this venture.