The Karnataka High Court has intervened to halt the demolition process and temporarily reinstate the demolition of Bengaluru’s landmark Urvashi Theatre by staying the demolition process that started earlier this week. It is the first time in many years that cinema lovers and heritage-minded people have been so devastated by the news that the historic theatre has been demolished. In its interim order, the High Court told landowners not to start demolition of the building or removal of materials from the building or anything else from the site until further direction.
The decision came after a single-judge bench of the Karnataka High Court considered arguments from both the management of Urvashi Theatre and landowners. The theatre administration came to the court claiming the landowners had started to take possession of the property before the deadline set by the Supreme Court. The theatre management said they were given the time till September 30 to leave but were trying to take control of the site before that date.
Senior advocate Shyam Sundar, representing Urvashi Theatre, said that the theatre had already been damaged in the ongoing demolition activities and that there was very valuable equipment and assets inside it. He told the court that expensive projectors, screens, seating arrangements, and other infrastructure had been damaged.
On the other hand, the landowners’ lawyers vehemently opposed the request for an interim stay. The landowners’ lawyers claimed the theatre management had not complied with certain conditions set by the Supreme Court. They believed that the affidavit or certification needed from the theatre authorities had not been submitted and therefore no interim relief should be granted at this stage.
After considering the two sides’ arguments, the High Court ruled that the theatre management must now follow the Supreme Court’s directions and submit the required affidavit. The court then adjourned the matter to the next hearing and ordered that until the next hearing, no demolition work should take place and no materials must be removed from the theatre premises. With this temporary protection, the demolition process has been stopped and provided a brief respite for one of Bengaluru’s best-loved cinema monuments.
The development has inspired a renewed interest in the future of Urvashi Theatre, which is a theatre embedded in Karnataka’s cinematic scene. The Urvashi is situated in the heart of Bengaluru and is regarded as one of the biggest and most prestigious single-screen theatres of the state. With more than 1,000 seats, the theatre has seen thousands of movies over the years and has been associated with some of the biggest successes in Kannada, Tamil, Telugu, Hindi, and other Indian film industries.
Film lovers recall that more than 5,000 movies have been screened at Urvashi Theatre over the years. It became famous for big movies, huge celebrations, and a first-day movie experience. For many Bengaluru residents, Urvashi is more than a theatre; it is a cultural landmark that has long been associated with generations of moviegoers and many movies in common.
The High Court’s order has given hope to those who would like to preserve the theatre’s legacy even as legal proceedings continue. The outcome of the property dispute is not yet certain, but that interim stay means no further action against the historic building has been taken. The next hearing will see whether the theatre can get a little protection or if we will be in the process of demolition at some point in the future.
The short stay is a big deal for Bengaluru's film and cinema community that has a long history in the city of cinema.
