The Aurora Talkies, a 74-year-old, 700-seat theatre in Mumbai’s Matunga neighbourhood, is one of the very few one-screen theatres in Bombay. This theater, situated iin the bylanes of Matunga (East), near King’s Circle aka Maheshwari Udyan, shut down recently in Covid times and have not yet opened its gates.
Aurora Talkies, at one time, was a mecca for Tamil film lovers. As soon as you go through the doors of this movie theatre, which is quite old, you can travel back in time. The single screen theater talks about the golden era it has seen. The outer walls too show off withered posters of old Tamil classics of Rajinikanth, Kamal Haasan, etc.
The last glorious moment at the theater was Rajini Anna’s mega release — Kabali. Like all previous superstar Rajini films, there was a huge effigy of Rajinikanth outside the theater which was bathed in milk, followed by an aarti. And the first day first show was at five in the morning!
The ritual of milkbath and aarti was repeated again in the noon before the 12 PM show.
Rajnikanth’s fans patiently waited for all rituals to finish to enter the theater. Anna’s entry saw money being thrown at the screen; all of which was later donated to the NGO who was having blood camps outside the theater during the screening in the name of the superstar.
Just for the purpose of this incredibly one-of-a-kind experience, I would wish for everyone to watch a Rajni film in Aurora.
The auditorium is enormous, and the sound quality is excellent as well. As you enter the theatre, you’ll notice the art-deco-inspired interior and the spherical fall ceiling. The interiors have not changed and are still being maintained. Although neither leather nor cushioned, the seats are nevertheless quite cozy.
It may not be like the huge, fancy multiplexes of today, but it definitely has its own special charm.
All Tamil film fans await the reopening of Aurora, as a sophisticated multiplex doesn’t offer the crazy frenzy on the day of a Rajini release. Even the stars of today like Suriya might receive a good following, if and when the theater opens.
Amen!
