Here’s some good news for theatre lovers. Girgaum Chowpatty’s famous theatre facility, Birla Krida Kendra, will soon be operational again.

 

The facility, which in its prime was a landmark for all theatre fanatics, was shut in 2000 due its dilapidated structure. The BMC shut the forty-year-old facility due to severe leakages, cracks, seepage and vegetation growth.

 

Built in the 1960s by Sri Rameshwardasji Birla in memory of his father, the structure stands on 70,498.98 sq feet area and provides for drama theatre, multipurpose halls and restaurants (Thackers).

 

It was renovated only once in 1972. Post refurbishment, the corporation intends to increase the number of seats from its present strength of 625.

 

People still remember the place where famous plays like -Touch of brightness, Blythe spirit in English, Paresh Rawal’s Sathwaro (togetherness- Hindu-Muslim), Nokihimati ne Nokha malavi (Maharishi Karve — different soil, different people), Saav re adhuru maru aaykhu (my life is absolutely incomplete — girls in dance schools) in Gujarati and Zulwa and Ranangan in Marathi — were staged.

 

Though things are at the proposal stage, BMC plans to provide for a new auditorium with better acoustics, air conditioning, rehearsal rooms, small conference rooms, audio visual facility, two-tier basements parking for growing cars in the city, convention centre, few residential rooms and a shell-like look to the building. The work for the same will be given to Shashank Mehendale and Associates and Ratan J Batliboi.

 

Manu Kumar Shrivastav, additional municipal commissioner (projects) said, “Things are at a planning stage and since it comes in the coastal regulation zone (CRZ) area, we will have to get permissions.” Apart from coastal regulation permission, heritage permission will also be required as the structure stands in the heritage precinct.
 
Reacting to the proposal, Waman Kendre, director of Marathi plays, said, “It is a good thing that they are restarting the auditorium. It will help to promote plays in the area.” Although Girgaum has a large Marathi speaking population, Gujarati plays have been more popular in the area.

 

Utpal Bhayani, Gujarati play critic said, “Birla Krida Kendra was one of the important places where professional Gujarati plays were conducted along with places like Tejpal Birla Matushree Sabhagrah and Bhartiya Bidya bhavan. Very famous and selected plays were conducted by Indian National Theatre and the premise was known for doing grand rehearsals.”

 

Niranjan Mehta, producer of Gujarati plays said that the Gujarati producer’s guild used to ensure that each time the Gujarati drama festival opened, there used to be a new play specially prepared for Birla Krida Kendra. “Since Gujarati theatres are dying due to lack of space this should give it a new lease of life,” Mehta said.

 

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