More than half a century ago, long before television sets and modern digital streaming quieted our public spaces, Ahmedabad housed an astonishing number of cinema halls. In an era when alternative entertainment options were non-existent, giant screens dictated the weekend schedules of entire neighbourhoods. Ask your parents, they will certainly agree! Today, soaring real estate values and convenient digital options have brought the final curtain down on these vintage venues. Here is an editorially curated look back at seven iconic closed single-screen theatres in Ahmedabad that defined the city’s rich cinematic heritage before shuttering forever.
1. Relief Cinema
Inaugurated in 1951 by actor Raj Kapoor, who attended the opening screening of his film Dastaan at the invitation of owner Indubhai Desai, Relief Cinema served as an anchor landmark on Relief Road for over six decades. Designed by British architects and outfitted with American-made projection machinery and a central air-conditioning plant, the 685-seater single screen was recognized as a premier movie venue in post-Independence Gujarat. The theatre hosted major box-office runs spanning generations of Hindi cinema. However, the operational overheads of maintaining vintage mid-century machinery, combined with falling ticket sales that dropped to 20–25% capacity, made the venture financially unsustainable.
Relief Cinema ran its final public show on August 23, 2013, screening Chennai Express. The 1,090-square-yard property was sold to real estate developers, marking the end of one of Relief Road’s longest-running film venues.
2. Roopalee Cinema
Located near Lal Darwaza, Roopalee Cinema opened in 1952 in the Walled City. The theatre became famous for its long queues during major releases, notably in 1968 when ticket lines for Saraswatichandra stretched past neighboring local tea stalls. For decades, Roopalee was a preferred destination for movie shows due to its proximity to major transit routes and commercial markets. With the movement of population away from the old city and the growth of western suburban entertainment hubs, audience numbers dwindled by the late 1990s.The cinema officially shuttered operations in the early 2000s. The structure remained disused for years until it was demolished in 2014 to clear space for urban redevelopment.
3. Natraj Cinema
Natraj Cinema emerged in the post-1960s era as western Ahmedabad expanded beyond the Sabarmati River. Located near major academic institutions and commercial offices, Natraj became a focal venue for younger audiences. Unlike the older single screens in the Walled City, Natraj was built for suburban population. However, by the early 2000s, commercial real-estate demands along the Ashram Road corridor made single-screen exhibition financially uncompetitive compared to high-density commercial options. Natraj Cinema was closed and subsequently demolished in the mid-2000s. The site was cleared and redeveloped into commercial space.
4. Madhuram Cinema
Madhuram Cinema opened in the early 1950s, operating as a 750-seater venue in the Walled City’s cinema precinct. It was considered one of the well-appointed theatres of its era, catering to workers from nearby textile mills and regional traders. The decline of the local mill economy, paired with the rapid rise of multi-screen complexes across the city, led to steep financial losses for the management. In late 2006, the 1,700-square-yard property was sold to commercial developers. The single-screen structure was converted into the Karnavati Garment Mall, a wholesale readymade garment market.
5. English Cinema (Grand Theatre)
Originally established in 1927 as the Grand Theatre, this venue was the earliest address for film exhibition in Ahmedabad. Later referred to as English Cinema, the theatre was prominent for screening international titles and early silent and talkie films. The cinema suffered severe structural damage when it was burnt during the 1969 communal riots in the city. While public contributions aided its immediate restoration later that same year, changing commercial patterns over subsequent decades eventually led to its permanent shutdown. The site stands as an important historical note in the early evolution of fixed-site movie theatres in pre-Independence Gujarat.
6. Advance Cinema
Advance Cinema operated as one of the oldest projection venues in the city. Historically, the theatre earned a distinct reputation among local single screens for frequently screening English-language films and Hollywood releases alongside mainstream Hindi titles. Over time, traffic congestion, parking limitations, and aging technical facilities caused attendance to drop steeply. The cinema ceased operations as single screens lost market share to modern venues. The surrounding area is still locally referred to as Advance Cinema Road, though the cinema itself no longer functions.
7. Alankar Cinema
Alankar Cinema operated for decades as a prime family movie hall in central Ahmedabad. The theatre frequently hosted long extended runs, showing major Hindi releases after their initial premier weeks to complete 100-day and Jubilee milestones. Following the mid-1990s, changing audience preferences shifted the theatre’s programming model toward secondary distribution, repeat runs, B-grade features, Bhojpuri releases, and dubbed South Indian cinema. Management made substantial attempts to modernize the infrastructure, renovating the hall in January 1996 with upgraded air conditioning and modern sound systems, later installing digital UFO projection technology in time for the 2009 release of Wanted, which logged a successful six-week first run. However, Alankar Cinema permanently suspended all screenings during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns and never reopened.
