Daijiworld Media Network - Mysuru (SP)
Mysuru, Jun 22: Unable to withstand the coronavirus onslaught, Shantala Talkies in the city, which was one of the leading movie theatres in the city and was fondly known as the 'family talkies' of the crowds, will shortly close its doors permanently. The talkies, which began to serve the people in 1976, had become favourite talkies for the directors and the audiences alike.
The theatre had screened a number of milestone films starring Dr Rajkumar, Dr Vishnuvardhan, Dr Ambareesh, Shankar Nag of the yesteryears and the new age heroes like Sudeep, Darshan and Yash. Many leading directors and leading actors had watched cinemas sitting in this theatre. With the lockdown, like many other sectors, the movie theatres are heading for a bleak future. Under immense financial stress, the owners have decided to close down the theatre after being in the service of the cinema for 44 years.
A local, Muniyappa (68), said with a throat choked with grief that he had watched films like 'Shubhamangala', 'Bangarada Panjara' and many other films by standing in the queue. Well-known director, Nagathihalli Chandrashekar, said that he had spent his college days in this city and used to go to this theatre to see cinema. He said several films directed by him were exhibited here and that he remembers the manager of the theatre, Devaraj, moving around with a stick in hand to drive away black marketers.