That element of Novelty

Ziya Us Salam revisits the heyday of Novelty hall, whose shutters are now closed, awaiting a new kiss of life

September 11, 2011 08:37 pm | Updated 08:37 pm IST

A view of the Novelty cinema in Old Delhi. Photo: V. Sudershan

A view of the Novelty cinema in Old Delhi. Photo: V. Sudershan

It might be music to the ears of a generation that calls a film hit or flop based on the first weekend collection, but here in our own Delhi, we have had a cinema hall that was known for playing a film a year! No exaggeration but the age-old Novelty cinema in Old Delhi built up a reputation for playing one film a year, at the most two! Any film that kissed its silver screen stayed on to complete a golden jubilee or at least a silver jubilee. Beginning with the likes of Ratan , Zeenat and Anmol Ghadi in the 1940s and on to Mughal-e-Azam , Sholay and the rest, Novelty assiduously carved out a reputation for playing films that were never in any danger of having a short run at the box office.

Way back, in the run-up to our Independence, Novelty played host to Anmol Ghadi featuring Noor Jehan. Even in the turbulent days leading up to 15 August, 1947, her popularity knew no ebbing. When the film by director Mehmood, which had timeless music by Naushad and gems likes “Awaaz de Kahan Hai” and “Jawan Hai Mohabbat”, opened at Novelty, the queues knew no end. People from all parts of the Walled City came to the hall specially to see Noor Jehan's captivating beauty — of course Suraiya's presence helped too — and hear soothing melodies. It is said, in the week the film completed its silver jubilee, the line of fans reached up to 100 metres outside the hall!

Anmol Ghadi , though it had a remarkable run, was only one among a clutch of films that rewrote box office records at Novelty, the cinema that was earlier called Elphinstone. It got a new name when Jagat Narain Seth took over the reins in 1935. Like others, Elphinstone too had been a theatre initially, but post the first talkie Alam Ara , it too embraced the cinema culture. Elphinstone died, Novelty was born. Not to look back for another 70 years or so. Catering largely to a local crowd, Novelty was always in rhythm with musicals. Even before Anmol Ghadi came Ratan , where Zohrabai Ambalewali's “Akhiyan Milake Jiya Bharmake Chale Nahin Jaana” ensured repeat audience for the film. It was the same trait that was to help Novelty notch up a first for a North Indian cinema. In 1948 it screened Gemini's Chandralekha, the first South Indian film to be dubbed into Hindi. Predictably, the film did good business. So much so that from thereon, Gemini guys started calling up Seth about six months before the release of their film to book the hall in advance!

On elephant back

The 1940s' masterpieces proved memorable for many. Made more so by the visit of the star cast of Mehboob Khan's Andaaz with Raj Kapoor, Dilip Kumar and Nargis showing up for the premiere. But the best was yet to come. It came in the form of Mughal-e-Azam , K. Asif's film that took 16 years in the making, then at the box office in 1960 proved that every year, every month was well spent. The print of the film arrived on an elephant back — it was a concession to royalty that the film so skilfully projected. Mughal-e-Azam, that also opened at Golcha in Daryaganj, completed a golden jubilee here. G.P. Sippy's Sholay did one better; it went on to complete 75 weeks at Novelty! Another matter that the action-packed multi-starrer did likewise at a couple of other halls in the city.

The path to the stupendous run of Sholay was laid by Leader , the Dilip Kumar-Vyjayantimala starrer of the mid-1960s that forced the cinema management to go in for a fresh screen. With this film Novelty embraced the 70mm culture, and as an old-timer puts it, “wall-to-wall-screen”. It was a change that was to help the cinema become the favourite hall of the likes of Manoj Kumar — his films Roti, Kapda aur Makaan and Kranti had jubilee runs here — Ramanand Sagar and Prakash Mehra. It proved a happy hunting ground for Sultan Ahmed too. His biggest hit, Ganga ki Saugandh , completed a silver jubilee. Mehra's Sharaabi though went one step further. The Amitabh Bachchan starrer not only raked in the riches at the box office, it sent the sweepers of the cinema happy too. Reason? Cine-goers just loved Bappi Lahiri's music and threw coins at the screen when songs like “Mujhe Naulakha Mangade Re” and “De de Pyar de” came in the film. At the end of every show, the sweepers made a killing!

Talking of shows, Novelty has always had specific audience for each show. The noon show was frequented by the university crowd. The matinee was preferred by ladies, free from household chores. The night was for families, with local shopkeepers heading home in the evening, having dinner and then bringing their wives to the cinema. The evening show, as a consequence, was the poorest in attendance. That was only a minor aberration for the hall whose admission rates began at a measly 10 annas and went up to a maximum of three rupees. It was only post-1971 that the owners revised the rates.

All that was in the past. For almost a decade now, Novelty has downed its shutters with the owners not willing to play “Munni Badnaam Hui” kind of cinema. Yet, plans are afoot to give a new kiss of life to the hall and revive it early next year. Again as a single screen cinema of choice in your neighbourhood. Time for more jubilee runs?

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