Let the show go on

Representative Image

Was it my overzealous imagination or my floaters - a gift of old age - but were you near Eros building recently?" Sir PM asked Lady Flora, his longtime friend, walking companion and fellow Bombay-worrier. "Pheroze, how did you spot me despite all the scaffolding and construction work? I was doing an onsite inspection after a crazy rumour was floated last weekend. You heard about it, right?" Lady Flora asked.

"Yes, I was returning after having a look at the Swastik Court building nearby; I had read that the residents had done a fabulous job of ensuring the site was restored by availing the services of experts in the field of Art Deco architecture, and that's when I spotted you. Forgive me for my ignorance but may I ask what was I supposed to have ‘heard' that made you get into detective mode?" Sir PM prodded his friend for the details.

"Now, you and I, and most regulars in SoBo are quite familiar with the sight of the Eros building that has been under a massive veil of construction activity for a couple of years, right? But a handful of armchair historians and cine buffs raised alarm bells; I am pretty sure they don't come to this part of town often, and hence went berserk claiming that the cinema hall was being torn down. There is this new platform - they call it social media - where the information is shared. And because they have many followers - unseen to the eye, of course - who latched on to the news, it spread like wildfire across these channels and soon enough caused all kinds of shockwaves among the heritage and cultural community, as well as regular unsuspecting citizens. Clearly, you've been under a rock, Pheroze!" Lady Flora's tone changed from normal to high-pitched, with this gentle reprimand for not being in the know about their favourite city.

Sir PM had a blank gaze for a few moments with the information overload. Soon, he collected himself, and enquired, "My Lady, but that isn't the truth, right?" She was still upset about the entire scenario but had calmed down a bit after sipping on her ginger tea at Horniman Circle Garden, "Not at all, but this is an awful way to spread rumours. I mean, do your homework before making these alarmist claims. My sinuses soared when the fake news had ripped through the air that Sunday morning. How terribly irresponsible! Dr Viegas left his morning mass service halfway to check if it was true. I dispatched Percy [who moved only because he was bribed with a few treats] to do an air borne check; thankfully, he returned with news that calmed the senses. Still, I wasn't convinced, and decided to have a dekko after dark, when things were quieter."

"And what did you see on your site visit?" Sir PM asked. Lady Flora's voice went low. "Well, it made for sad visuals. I remembered so many trips to the movies here. From being wowed by Scarlett O'Hara in Gone With The Wind to Audrey Hepburn's mesmeric presence in Roman Holiday. It was tough to hold back the tears. I had to tread carefully amidst the construction material but the memories kept flashing back. Pheroze, it was a disturbing reality that we might lose a part of our history and memories."

Sir PM, despite his casual approach to daily occurrences post his retirement from civic life, was aware of the rulebook inside out. "Worry not, my Lady. My sources tell me that all will be well. Eros building is going nowhere, as much as those misinformed folk would like to imagine and portray as if they were a band of cine superheroes. Where were these guardian angels whenever discussions and debates emerged about the condition and future of Bombay's single screen cinemas? Do they even know about the UNESCO connection? I wonder if they have stepped into a single screen movie hall of late; yet they chose to set off the alarm. Truth is, the building belongs to a large cluster that is part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and hence the structure cannot be torn down. Secondly, the façade cannot be tampered with since it falls under the mandatory guidelines that come into force as it is a UNESCO site. And lastly, the site has been undergoing repair and restoration for a while. I've heard that it will become a multiplex on the lines of Metro in Dhobi Talao. But more details are awaited, and I will ask my sources for further clarity," he explained.

His friend finally managed a half smile. "Pheroze, I am feeling a shade better. I am glad to hear about the exteriors, and I really hope they retain the interiors or at least its essence. I heard that a respected conservation architect is helming affairs, so that is a relief. It was such a wonderful place to experience the movies in all its grandeur. Even my visiting cousins from England would enjoy its stunning architecture, its comfort. Oh! How I miss those days when movie-watching was such a relaxing, pleasurable pastime. "

"Well, in that case, I will look forward to watching a movie with you at Eros when the curtains are raised once again," Sir PM comforted his friend, adding, "Until then, why not show our solidarity towards Bombay's Art Deco single screen cinemas by heading to Regal for a late night show, My Lady?"

mid-day's Features Editor Fiona Fernandez relishes the city's sights, sounds, smells and stones...wherever the ink and the inclination takes her. She tweets @bombayana
Send your feedback to mailbag@mid-day.com