The very mention of Tarakarama theatre in Kacheguda conjures up visions of sleazy films, both the foreign variety and the Indian made. However, such movies will be a thing of the past from January, when the theatre management will start screening mainstream movies from domestic and overseas markets, a la Lamba theatre.
The decades-old theatre will be reopened as ‘Tarakarama Cineplex’ on January 9 to screen either Telugu films ‘Seethamma Vakitlo Sirimalle Chettu’ starring Venkatesh and Mahesh Babu or Ram Charan Tej’s starrer ‘Nayak’. Till recently, the cinema hall used to screen only adult movies but three months ago it was closed after the Asian Cinema and Multiplexes Private Limited took it on lease for 100 months.
Right from seats to interiors, screen, sound system and projector, the company has replaced them with latest equipment with a cost of over Rs. 2.5 crore to provide better ambience to audience. The 1,200-seat capacity hall is now reduced to 975 seats to avoid congestion.
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Computerised ticketing
“We are providing facilities on par with those available in multiplexes,” says one of the firm’ directors N. Sadanand Goud. Computerised ticketing facility is also being introduced for the viewers’ convenience.
The decision to revamp the theatre was taken following increasing demand for single screen theatres from the cine-goers. Given the cost factor in multiplexes, coupled with closure of over half a dozen cinema halls at the RTC crossroads and Narayanguda recently, the demand for single screen theatres has gone up considerably.
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“We have taken these factors into consideration and decided to take Tarakarama theatre on lease to screen the latest films,” Mr. Goud explains.
Twelve surveillance cameras with round-the-clock recording facility and door-frame metal detectors are being installed as security measures. This apart, fire-fighting equipment is also in place.
First film
Film Producers Council Secretary T. Prasanna Kumar reminds that N.T. Rama Rao’s film ‘Akbar Salim and Anarkali’ was the first film released in the theatre in 1978. It was screened for a record number of 525 days and since then several Telugu and Hindi movies were screened.
The theatre was damaged in 1991 when Congress activists torched it damaging the seats, interiors and other equipment following the assassination of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi.
A few months after reopening in 1995, the theatre was given on lease during which both adult as well as regular movies were screened.