The stage at Regent after a performance and (top) owner of Regent Suman Kumar Sinha and minister of art, culture and youth affairs Sukhda Pandey at the 83rd anniversary celebrations of Regent on Thursday. Pictures by Nagendra Kumar Singh

Patna, Aug. 5: The first cinema in the state, Regent, has turned 83 but it still stands tall and strong among other single screen theatres and the newly opened multiplex in town.

The curtains went up on the unnamed theatre at Lady Stephen’s Hall near Patna Museum in 1928, which would stage plays. Resident Kailash Bihari Sinha, who brought theatre to the state, had taken Lady Stephen’s Hall on lease. In later years, it became the Regent we know and love.

Now, his grandson, Suman Kumar Sinha, runs the show.

“My grandfather took Lady Stephen’s Hall on a year’s lease in 1928 and started to stage plays. But in 1929, the theatre shifted to its present location near Gandhi Maidan. In 1929, the hall was named Palace of Varieties, as apart from plays being staged, silent movies were also screened. In 1931, the first Indian talkie, Alam Ara, was also screened at the theatre,” said Suman.

The hall went through several renovations in the following years.

Suman added: “In 1949, the hall was renamed Regent and my father, Sushil Kumar Sinha, overhauled the sound system. At that time, the seating capacity of the hall was more than 750. It has now come down to 697. The theatre kept screening hundreds of films till 1981 when it was once again renovated. The cinema reopened with a new look with the Hema Malini-Jeetendra-starrer Jyoti. The ticket was priced at Rs 5.45.”

“Over the years, classics like Haathi Mere Saathi, Mughal-e-Azam, Devdas, Madhumati, Do Bigha Zameen have been screened at the cinema. Films like Sholay, Shaan, Tezaab, Hum Aapke Hain Kaun, Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, Kaho Naa Pyaar Hai and others have also run houseful for months,” said Suman.

Regent has unique features to its credit. While other cinemas have one balcony, Regent has two. After the recent renovation in 2010, the ceiling has been covered with flowing curtains to give a feeling of a stage.

Suman said in 2010, the cinema remained closed for renovation for three months. “I called 122 experts from Mumbai to renovate the theatre because it was necessary to bring a change according to the demand of the audience. Now, the theatre has all the world-class features and equipped to show 3D films. Even though Cinepolis has opened doors, the audience still turn up at Regent, as we have maintained our standards. Our tickets are still sold for Rs 50-150, according to the budget of the viewer, which is unthinkable at the multiplex or other cinemas in the city.”

On Regent, film critic and former chairman of Bihar Sangeet Natak Academy, Shankar Prasad, said: “I have seen thousands of films in my career as a critic and out of that, I must have seen more than 500 films at Regent. It is still so young at the age of 83. I am 67 years old but I still remember when I watched Haathi Mere Saathi in 1967. This cinema has always given emphasis to social issue films. Now, even though the multiplex has opened, I still go to Regent to watch the new releases.”

Art, culture and youth affairs minister Sukhda Pandey also recollected the past and said: “When I was a student at Magadh Mahila College, I had bunked many classes to watch films like Dharti Kahe Pukar Ke and Aulad at Regent. It was the only theatre close to the college. It is really nice to see the theatre completing its 83rd year. It will always be my favourite.”