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yderabad has always been known for its cultural life of which cinema has been a big part. In the 1970s, Bombino cinema, located in the Garhi Khata of Hyderabad, became one of the most popular cinemas in the city. It was a place where people came together to watch films. Bombino had a large seating capacity, holding up to 1,000 people. The tickets were affordable for most, ranging from Rs 10 to Rs 100 rupees, making it accessible to a wide audience.
There were 21 cinemas in the Hyderabad city including Shuhab, New Majestic, Capri, Rahat, Venus, Firdous and Odean. However, the popularity of Bombino, as well as other cinemas, began to fade in the 1990s. With the rise of VCRs and later cable TV, people could watch movies at home without going to the cinema. Mobile phones and the internet too have contributed to the decline in cinema visits.
The ban on Bollywood films also hurt cinemas, as many moviegoers turned away from local films that could not compete with international content. In addition, the global rise of streaming platforms like Netflix and Amazon, offering movies directly to mobile phone screens and TV, has made it even more difficult for traditional cinema to stay relevant.
Kazim, the manager of Bombino cinema, says that until 1986, Bombino was at its peak. After that, things started to change. “Now, we struggle to find a buyer for the property. If someone offers a good price, we will sell,” he says.
Back in the day, people would line up for tickets, but now, Bombino’s halls are mostly empty. “People used to pay extra for tickets back then,” Kazim remembers. “Now, cinema is about to die.”
Kazim thinks the decline of traditional cinema is because of the rise of TV and internet-capable mobile phones. “Films are now easy to access. Everyone has a TV in their pocket. Cinema just doesn’t attract people like it used to do.”
Bombino and other cinemas, like Shuhab, New Majestic and Capri, were once important cultural spaces in the city. People of all ages came to these places to watch movies and enjoy the experience together.
Over time, however, the cinemas began to lose their appeal. The once-bustling theaters are now quiet, with fewer and fewer people attending the shows. The movie ads that were once painted by hand are now printed in Lahore. Most of the old projectors have been replaced with digital systems.
“The cultural value of places like Bombino is hard to explain,” says Ashraf Ali, a broadcaster by profession and a film lover. “Going to the cinema used to be a special event. Now, the theaters are mostly empty and the excitement is gone.”
Today, Bombino cinema is mostly forgotten. The building might soon be turned into a shopping mall. The younger generation may never know the experience of watching movies in these old cinemas.
“Going to cinema used to be big deal,” recalls Ashraf Ali. “The decline started with the rise of VCRs. People could now watch films at home for cheaper. When Gen Zia took over, the government made things harder for cinemas. Movies were ruthlessly censored and the laws made it tough for cinemas to keep showing what people wanted to see.”
The cinema culture in Hyderabad has faced tough challenges. The once vibrant centres of social gathering and entertainment have now been reduced to being relics of a past era. The city’s filmgoers, once drawn to these iconic theaters, now prefer to stay home or watch movies in the modern multiplexes in bigger cities.
Now, Bombino cinema is mostly empty. The building may be demolished soon to be replaced by something else, while the memories of the past fade.
The closure of these cinemas is a reminder of how things have changed in the country, including in Hyderabad. For those who remember the old days, it is sad to see such an important part of the city’s history disappear.
The writer is a freelance journalist. He can be reached on Twitter Nabeell_Abro