Silvester D’Souza

Daijiworld Media Network – Kundapur (EP)

Kundapur, May 21: Vinayaka Theatre, the last of the single screen talkies in Kundapur, has closed its doors for good following its last show.

Once bustling with four single screen cinema halls showing houseful shows, Kundapur’s theatres were a staple on Saturdays. People attending the famous Kundapur fair would often stay back to watch movies, filling the cinema theatre to capacity.

However, with the rise of OTT platforms and multiplex cinemas, maintaining Vinayaka Talkies became increasingly challenging. The theatre, which opened with Dr Rajkumar’s "Kavirathna Kalidasa," ended its run with Challenging Star Darshan’s "Katera."

Vinayaka Talkies was established in 1983 by K Ramachandra Rao of Kundapur. The inauguration was led by Sripathi Rao, proprietor of Arvind Motors, Mangaluru, along with the then Kundapur MLA K Prathapchandra Shetty, Byndoor MLA B Appanna Hegde, and others. The first film shown was the celebrated "Kavirathna Kalidasa" starring Matinee Idol Dr Rajkumar.

The theatre had a total of 250 seats, including both first and second classes, and a balcony with 176 seats. Initially, ticket prices were Rs 2.80 for first class and Rs 3.25 for the balcony. By the time the theatre closed, prices had risen to Rs 80 for first class and Rs 100 for the balcony.

Pushparaj managed the theatre for approximately 41 years, following the death of his father, K. Ramachandra Rao. Despite numerous challenges and financial losses, he kept the theatre running. The decision to close was a difficult one for him.

“My father spent Rs 30 lacs to construct the theatre. I remember cycling to water the concrete with him during construction. We repaired torn seats and I worked in various capacities, from the projector room to issuing tickets. We ran several of Dr Rajkumar’s movies with great success. However, after the COVID-19 pandemic, people stopped coming. Hence, we had no choice but to close the theatre,” said Pushparaj, the proprietor of Vinayaka Talkies.