One of the most iconic locations in Mumbai and a spot cherished by theatre and film lovers is the popular Regal Cinema. Located at the Colaba Causeway, this is an 'art-deco movie theatre' which was built in 1930s by Framji Sidhwa.
History states that this was also the first theatre to have air conditioner, and film buffs then watched The Devil's Brother by Laurel and Hardy which released in 1933. Regal Cinema has also made its way to the Limca Book of Records.
The theatre was planned at a time when Mumbai already had many locations to watch a film, also an era where the cinema thrived. Mumbai, by then, has some popular locations like Eros, Metro, Plaza Central, New Empire, Broadway, etc.
Designer Charles Stevens worked on the theatre's structure along with Czech artist Karl Schara who made it beautiful with extensive mirror-work. The interiors and the design element of the theatre made a mark instantly with the cinema lovers and the structure was built with cement. Besides this, amenities like air conditioning and the underground parking made this a instant hit among the patrons.
Over the years, several events have been hosted at the Regal Cinema, and visitors today enjoy the location with a bit of shopping too. The popular Filmfare Awards, 17th Mumbai Academy of Moving Image (MAMI) in 2015 and 2016, were among the few popular film events that were hosted at the iconic location.
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