Andhra Pradesh - Guntur

Cinema buffs will certainly miss it

GUNTUR: The more than 48-year journey of Sri Krishna Picture Palace began with second release of Akkineni Nageswara Rao-Anjali Devi starer `Suvarna Sundari’ (1955) and ended on Monday with the latest Hollywood blockbuster James Bond movie ‘Quantum of Solace’.

The James Bond movie directed by Marc Forster and starring Daniel Craig represents the first time that any Hollywood movie opened in India prior to its US premiere and the picture ran till past Sunday midnight in the theatre, reminds theatre owner Shiva Kumar. Even the 22nd James Bond could not rescue him.

It was a sentiment that an ANR film should be run after the land was leased out for 25 years by S. Butchiramaiah for a mere Rs.260 per month and in 1974 came the new addition and second theatre on the same premises ‘Little Krishna’ that saw some of the popular movies of NTR, Krishna, Chiranjeevi and Mahesh Babu run to house fulls.

At Little Krishna it was Shobhan Babu’s ‘Iddaru Ammayilu’ that was first screened when it opened the culture of twin theatres in the State and Guntur did not lag behind despite Vijayawada being a leading centre in those days for movies.

Lessee’s claim

The original lease for the 2,600 square yard site ended in 1984 and as per a District Court decree an approval for 25-year lease was got in 1984 for a Rs.3,200 lease per month and an advance of Rs.50,000 for development.

The lease is in force till August 9, 2009, claims Mr. Siva Kumar, and approached the District Court on Friday to allow status quo, but by the time orders were received on the site, the German projector was removed, premises was locked and chairs removed. The Deputy Commissioner Endowments, however, said that the lease period was over and they were in the physical possession of the land.

© Copyright 2000 - 2009 The Hindu