Owners look to sell South Kolkata single-screen theatre Padmasree

The owners of Padmasree, a well-known cinema hall in South Kolkata that has been in existence since 1960, have decided to sell it off.

Padmasree was among the earliest theatres in South Kolkata. It was built by producer-distributor Narayan Sadhukhan, Pramatha Kumar De and others in 1958-59. The 720-seater theatre was inaugurated in 1960 with the Uttam Kumar- and Suchitra Sen-starrer Chawa Pawa (1959).

Padmasree paved the way for more single-screen theatres such as Malancha, Bunty, Madhuban and Mahua to be set up in South Kolkata. While all of them have already shut down, Padma Sree seems to be the last one standing.

The cinema hall was operational until three months ago and had to be closed on 30 April on account of the worsening pandemic situation in West Bengal. According to the owners, it was already proving difficult for them to run the theatre in the face of the growing dominance of multiplex theatres. The pandemic only made their plight worse.

Shyamal De, one of the managing partners of Padmasree cinema, told The Times of India newspaper, “Currently the three partners of Padmasree have 14 heirs. All of us have finally agreed to sell the property.”

De added that the prospective buyer is not from the cinema trade. “For the buyer, we have not kept any clause for continuing with the cinema," he said. "If all goes well, the deal should be closed by [Durga] Puja.”