Historic Globe Cinema reopens with dual plexes ahead of Puja

KOLKATA: On Mahalaya, which marks the start of the eagerly awaited Durga Puja, the iconic Globe Cinema on Lindsay Street, across from the New Market entrance, will also begin its new journey.

This heritage theatre, dating back to the early 19th century, is reopening with a fresh look and dual plexes under the name SSR Globe Cinemas.

Till recently, the Globe Cinema had been a shopping arcade without screens. Satadeep Saha, who took the historic movie theatre on lease, is currently renovating the iconic structure, which first opened to the public in 1922. When Saha took over, little of the heritage building remained intact.

With renovations in full swing, he plans to reopen the theatre to the public on Mahalaya. The renovated theatre will feature two screens with modern facilities, one with 243 seats and the other with 198.

“With the decline of single-screen theatres in Bengal, we wanted to renovate this iconic venue and make it accessible for filmgoers,” said Saha, who watched the Academy Award-winning ‘Independence Day’ twice at the Globe as a kid.

At one point of time, the Globe was among the few theatres in Kolkata that regularly screened English films. Saha said that English movies will continue to be a priority at the newly named SSR Globe Cinemas, while Bollywood and Bengali films will also be screened.

Originally a wooden opera house established in 1827, it was sold to EM Cohen in 1906, who converted it into a movie theatre and named it Globe Cinema. Arijit Dutta, owner of Priya Cinema, leased the Globe from 2000 to 2006. ‘Titanic’ was one of the longest-running films at the Globe.