Mumbai Iconic Mahim Paradise Cinema downs shutter

Mumbai Iconic Mahim Paradise Cinema downs shutter

Mumbai Mahim’s iconic Paradise Cinema has downed shutters after ages.

It’s reliably learned that the single-screen cinema, which had been running for 80 years, is likely to be converted into a multiplex but nothing is final as yet. As of now there is neither any confirmation nor any denial from its owner Niloufer Dubash.

The stiff competition by multiplexes has impacted the single screen theater owners to a great extent.

If this wasn’t enough,the poor quality of films these days, has resulted in films being pulled out from the cinemas even before the completion of a week’s run. The government doesn’t provide any concessions or reliefs to single-screen cinemas, many of which, therefore, have to down shutters. The Maharashtra government’s mandate has for all cinemas in Bombay and the state to screen Marathi films for a certain time period, has further put them in dire straits and it has become a matter for survival. Patronage for Marathi films is not very strong because of weak content. If the cinemas don’t fulfil the condition of screening Marathi films, they run the risk of non-renewal of their annual licences.

Paradise was constructed by Sorabji Bathena around 1940. Many years later, it passed into the hands of Dubash Brothers who tied up with E-Square Cinemas to develop Paradise E-Square, as it is called.

News Edit K.V.Raman