They have been for quite some time, although lost in the magical world of the multiplexes, death of an institution is sometimes not too apparent.
For decades, the hall you passed on your way to school, college and then work, suddenly has a large advertisement on the gate or the main wall: to be demolished for a multi-storied market.
You look at the board with disbelief, memories flood in, feeling wistful, you go on your way.
Such is life, things that defined lifestyle once upon a time become outmoded.
Something new takes over – in this case, modern day multiplex with shopping malls and multi-screen theatres.
A Bangla daily recently reported that the number of traditional cinema halls, more than 1000 in the 90s, has come down to a mere 70.
Halls remain empty:Monihar, the hall that made headlines in the 80s for its modern design and sheer sitting capacity, is also closing down to make way for a marketing complex.
The key reason for halls closing is not because people are tilting towards modern cine complexes, but because the single screen halls do not make enough profit to sustain.
Losses incurred by halls had been mounting for sometime and owners are compelled to shut down and take the practical step.
Commenting on the matter, Abul Kalam, a ticket seller at a renowned but now closed cinema hall, says: “for the past three years, the hall only operated during Eid when movies pulled people and the shows were houseful.”
Apart from Eid releases, all other local productions are flops, he lamented.
Actually the word ‘flop’ is an understatement, bemoaned a hall caretaker in Old Dhaka, adding: “in the post Eid period, we could not even run a movie for a week and had to take it down after three days because total ticket sales did not exceed 100.”
When asked what sort of people were still coming, he replied with a suggestive grin, saying that of the people who came, 80 per cent were you couples who wanted to use the privacy of the halls to chat and sit without the risk of being spotted by their relatives.
“Watching the film is least of their priorities.”
Bachchu Mia, a gateman of a renowned hall in Dhaka, observes: “The owner still has to pay salary to at least ten people even when the halls are not running.”
But the question is, why are the halls empty?
This is because most movies, apart from a handful released during Eid, cannot pull audience.
A single screen hall cannot show more than one movie at a time but in case of a multiplex, the owner can balance the loss from one film by making profit from another one, said Mesbah a young film-maker.
In the past five years, cinema hall going trend has become a religious holiday based habit, as a result, during other times, the shows remain two thirds empty, he added.
The rise of the OTT platform can be cited as another reason, observed, Imtiaz Alam Beg, a noted photographer and a documentary film maker.
“The film watching experience has undergone certain changes, he underlined, adding: “apart from holidays during major religious events, most people prefer watching movies in the comfort of their homes.”
The OTT is actually a small screen Cineplex because it offers countless movies, allowing the viewer to choose, said Imtiaz.
Another factor for OTT’s rise is the fact that movie topics and plots often go into unorthodox territories, breaking from a certain guideline followed almost to the letter by big screen productions.
“One can challenge the boundaries of convention, be avantgarde or zany.”
Today’s audience, familiar with films across the globe, do not want formulaic stuff with corny dialogue, they want movies that stimulate, dare to wade into hitherto untouched social areas and challenge common concepts.
Some halls need to be preserved:The rationale showed by most people defending hall closures is valid.
These are institutions that pricipally aim to make profit and, if they incur loss year after year, there’s hardly any point in keeping them open.
While many halls will become shopping malls with multiplexes, some traditional movie theatres need to be preserved because they represent an invaluable link to this country’s past.
Also, to recreate the past for any historical production, these halls will be vital.
As a resident of Dhaka, who has grown up with the country, Asjadul Kibria feels that several halls, which were integral to growing up in Dhaka of the 70s and 80s,should be given government support.
He feels the government, along with the owners, can think of increasing the number of screens at traditional halls by dividing the one massive screening hall and include restaurants aimed at attracting the young.
“A fancy, expensive restaurant won’t work but if it’s a place offering just a handful of freshly made items and tea, young people will come.”
In the current reality, it would be foolhardy to maintain a full- fledged cinema hall when most shows do not attract people, said, Iftekhar Alam, a social scientist, adding: “instead, the owners can think about demolishing the hall while creating a small museum with support from the government to house all the items of a traditional hall.”
Without doubt, a strategic approach can save some of the halls, carrying a rich history of the evolution of movies in Bangladesh.
Cinema halls deemed aesthetically and historically important can be brought under the patronage of the relevant ministry, suggested Faizul Bari, a film enthusiast.
“Apart from showing regular movies, government programmes related to culture and arts can be held here, making the halls centres of multidimensional cultural events.”
As another hall bites the dust, we can only hope that before all of them disappear, some effort will be made to save a few.
Modern day multiplexes are comfortable, plush, stylishly decorated but they just do not have the smell of a cinema hall.
It’s all very glitzy and glamorous but it’s not the cinema hall feel which remains in the mind long after someone has gone home after watching a film.
