Mitra cinema has downed its shutters.

One of the few surviving single-screen theatres of Calcutta, Mitra on Bidhan Sarani in the north began its journey in 1931 as Chitra with the screening of Dena Paona, the first Bengali talkie from New Theatres.

The cinema changed its name to Mitra in 1963.

Owner Dipendra Krishna Mitra said he was 75 and his failing health came in the way of keeping the show on.

“Mitra is like my child and I can’t express my pain. I have always nurtured this hall as an extension of my culture without caring for the returns,” Dipendra Krishna who took over the reins of the cinema after his father Hemanta Krishna’s death in May 1986, said on Tuesday.

“Gradually I realised it won’t be possible for me to continue because of my ailments.”

Several buyers have approached him and calls have been coming throughout Tuesday, he said. “But I haven’t taken any decision yet.”

On Tuesday, cinemagoers noticed a note in Bengali pasted on the wall, saying the hall has been shut down from April 1 because of unavoidable reasons.

The note was on the official pad of the cinema whose inauguration was graced by Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose.

The kilometre-long stretch in north Calcutta that houses Mitra had once cinemas such as Uttara, Sree, Rupbani, Radha, Purnasree, Bidhusree, Minar, and Darpana.

Mitra follows in the footsteps of a series of single-screen cinemas in Calcutta that have downed the shutters in the past few years.

Of the 10-odd cinemas on Bidhan Sarani, most have shut down. Rupbani has been demolished. A few have turned into shops.

Last June, Elite, the 78-year-old cinema on SN Banerjee Road, shut down for failing to cope with losses.

At least 60 halls have shut down in the past four years in Calcutta and its adjoining areas, Piya Sengupta, president of Eastern India Motion Pictures Association, said.

Some prominent landmarks like Purabi, Purna, Grace and Chaplin are among these halls.

“I had made changes to ensure people still found Mitra attractive. Last year, I installed a 7.1 sound system, changed the screen, modified seats to offer more leg space. The hall got a fresh coat of paint as well,” Dipendra Krishna said.

“I pumped in close to Rs 20 lakh. But it’s an uneven battle with online streaming and piracy.”

Actor Prosenjit said Mitra closing down was “extremely shocking”.

“It’s a blow to regional cinema. I think it’s time we did something to change the format of the single-screen cinemas.”