Berhampur: There was a time when Ganjam district was considered to be cine goers’ paradise, but conditions of cinema halls now present a depressing picture.
Gone are the days when a cinema ticket used to be considered a prize catch for movie buffs. Unable to cope up with the onslaught of TV channels and video piracies, dozens of theatres in the state are on the verge of closure.
An example is the Sri Sitaram Vilash Talkies (SSVT) in Berhampur, the first cinema hall of the state. Built 90 years ago, the dilapidated structure is now a haven for criminals and anti-social elements as it stands isolated. The remains of the building are waiting to cave in, thanks to utter neglect.
SSVT has a hoary past. A Telugu businessman laid its foundation in 1927. Remembered as Orissa’s first-ever cinema hall, it was built on one acre area and could accommodate 2,000 viewers at one go.
The hall premiered its first-ever black and white movie in 1931. Since then, many black and white movies had been premiered in the hall. With the passage of time, colour movies started hitting the screen at SSVT. People still fondly recall their first experience of watching a movie in the theatre.
Once considered the pride of the state, SSVT is now awaiting renovation. The cyclone of 1999 devastated the district as a whole and SSVT was also badly affected. A portion of the hall collapsed in the catastrophe. Since then, the hall has been in that state.
Even as many new theatres have come up in the town, SSTV continues to remain in a pathetic state. Moreover, a long-standing land dispute in the Orissa High Court between the Berhampur Municipal Corporation and the cinema hall owner has further complicated the issue. Now, cine-goers want the government to intervene and save the SSVT. PNN