Movie theatres have long been the go-to places for entertainment, but in recent years, a noticeable shift has occurred- single-screen theatres are increasingly being replaced or overshadowed by multiplexes. In Hyderabad, only a handful of single-screen theatres remain, and their numbers continue to decline as many are either demolished or converted into multiplexes.
Financial factors play a major role in this change. Unlike single screens, which can showcase only one film at a time, multiplexes attract diverse audiences by screening multiple films simultaneously. Yet cinema has always been an integral part of the city’s cultural fabric. Iconic theatres such as Sangeet 70mm, Natraj, and Galaxy in Tolichowki, once the only 70mm theatres in undivided Andhra Pradesh, are now a thing of the past and a faded memory.
Venkatesa and Amaravati Picture Credits FullHyd Website
Before the rise of multiplexes, these theatres offered a more nuanced experience, each with its own unique architectural style blending modern and traditional influences. Stefanie Zoche, a German artist and veteran photographer who co-authored the photobook Hybrid Modernism: Movie Theatres in South India, which documents the architectural elements of single-screen theatres across the region, spoke to Deccan Chronicle about how Hyderabad’s single-screen theatres reflected diverse architectural inspirations. "Theatres such as Sapthagiri Cinema had influences from both Western modernism and Soviet modernism. In this way, they applied a kind of modernist language,” Stefanie explained.
When asked how theatre owners in India adopted such architectural preferences, she noted: “In India, when we asked what this style was called, none of them had an answer. They simply said they took inspiration from the best of Indian architecture and the best of Western architecture. The architects borrowed ideas from abroad and created something new. I termed it ‘hybrid modernism."
Whether single-screen theatres in South India are losing their charm due to multiplexes, Stefanie agreed. “There’s a loss of identity with the rise of multiplexes. Thirty years ago, cinema was a social event, and people watched the same movie multiple times, sang along to the songs, and celebrated together. Multiplexes, by contrast, are more impersonal. Single screens catered to the common man at affordable rates, while multiplexes are far more expensive.”
She added, “What makes Indian single screens unique is their connection to fan culture. Many theatres were dedicated to particular film stars, decorated by fan clubs and local communities. This deep cultural connection is absent in the West. Sadly, with multiplexes, ticket prices are ten times higher, families cannot bring their own food, and the experience has become commercialized.”
Sapthagiri and Shanti Picture Credits: Stefanie Zoche & Sabine Haubitz
Stefanie recalled that Hyderabad’s Shanti Theatre, once a beautiful example of Art Deco architecture, is now gone. Sapthagiri Theatre stood out with its Soviet modernist influences, striking red and blue colours, and distinctive design. Natraj Theatre was special because its exterior and interior spoke the same architectural language. She emphasized that the decline of single screens represents not just the loss of affordable entertainment but also the disappearance of rich art and architecture that once defined family outings and social experiences.
Author C. Yamini Krishna, Assistant Professor at FLAME University, Pune, who has researched Hyderabad’s film culture extensively in her book Film City Urbanism in India: Hyderabad, from a Princely City, spoke about the hybrid modernist styles in theatres. She said single-screen theatres have existed since the 1920s, and by the 1980s, we began to see double theatres, like Maheshwari Parameshwari in Koti, which in turn inspired iconic single screens such as Sangeet, Natraj, and Odeon. Once one architectural model gained popularity, others replicated it. Many theatres adopted hybrid modernist styles, resembling palaces, while others, like Natraj, leaned toward modernism. Yakut Mahal, for instance, was Art Deco, a style popular in Bombay that spread to princely states. Shanti Theatre was another Art Deco gem."
On whether multiplexes will completely replace single screens, she observed: “The rise of multiplexes is closely tied to real estate activity. In booming commercial areas, single screens decline, but in regions without such development, demand for them persists. So, I don’t think single screens will vanish entirely. They were not just film venues but cultural spaces that entertained generations and shaped Hyderabad’s identity.”
Sridevi, Vimal Picture Credits: DC Library
Indian cinema, though rooted in Western technology, developed its own unique identity. Theatres embodied this fusion, blending European Art Deco with Indian architectural elements. Each theatre had its own personality, unlike multiplexes, which offer a standardized experience. Photographer and content creator Kishore Krishnamoorthi, who has documented Hyderabad’s classic single screens, reflected on this transition: “We have homogenized life for convenience. Today, all apartments look the same, unlike earlier independent houses that reflected personal taste. This lack of personalization extends to theatres. Multiplexes look identical, but single screens had individuality.” Recalling his own experiences, he said: “I used to visit Sangeet and Skyline theatres, which screened English films. I still remember the movies I watched there. But with multiplexes, I cannot distinguish which theatre I saw a film in as their designs are too similar, " he said.
This article is written by Satvik AVP and Yoga Adithya, interning with Deccan Chronicle