Projectors lie in a neglected state at Ranchi Club. Picture by Hardeep Singh

Ranchi, Jan. 9: The recent installation of a digital projector at the Ranchi Club has brought with it not only a feeling of excitement, but also nostalgic sentiments about times when families and friends would get together to watch their favourite films.

But the projectors used those days, which were the pride of Ranchi Club, have been lying in neglect for years now.

Multiplexes and halls maybe common today, but in those early days when halls were few and VCDs didn’t exist, movie lovers depended on projectors to watch films of their choice, often hiring them for those special films.

“Those were like festive occasions. The whole family would get together to watch those old movies on projectors,” said Mukesh Kumar, who is now in his late 70s, adding with pride that the projector in the Ranchi Club then might be dating back to the British period.

“Such big projectors can no longer be found,” he said.

Then came the projector bought nearly 10 years ago during the tenure of the present secretary Sunil Verma.

He said that the projector, bought in 1996 from Vasundhra hall, which is closed now, cost Rs 1 lakh.

“When Hum Aapke Hain Kaun was screened, there was a crowd of 700 people and they loved watching the movie,” Verma said.

“Nowadays people are watching movies through digital projector screens and even the turnout in these cinema halls has become thin,” said Verma, adding that through the years the projectors have lost their popularity with film lovers.