Bengali Cinema Bengali cinema has always been parallel to the Hindi film industry, in terms of both talent and technology. The history of the cinema is very old. The first "bioscopes" were shown in Kolkata theatres as far back as 1890s. The seeds of Bengali cinema were sown by Hiralal Sen during this phase only, when he set up the Royal Bioscope Company. His legacy was further carried by Dhirendra Nath Ganguly, who set up Indo British Film Company in 1918.
In 1919, under the banner of Madan Theatre, the first Bengali feature film - 'Billwamangal' was produced. It was a silent film by Rustomji Dhotiwala, in black and white. After 'Billwamangal', Bengali cinema never looked back. Based in Tollygunge, an area of South Kolkata, the film industry is popularly known as Tollywood. The trend of 'talking movies' began in 1930, with Jamai Shashthi (1931) being the first Bengali film with dialogues.
By 1950, Bengali cinema was as the peak of its popularity. During this time, Uttam Kumar and Suchitra Sen were the most hyped pair of the film industry. This pair ruled Bengali cinema for more than a decade, till Suchitra Sen backed out from the industry, due to some medical issues. Uttam Kumar kept shining on the Bengali silver screen, till his sudden death in 1980. Based in Tollygunge, an area of South Kolkata, West Bengal film industry is known as Tollywood.
Bengali cinema has also made significant contribution towards Indian film industry. Apart from Satyajit Ray, directors like Bimal Roy, Ritwik Ghatak, Mrinal Sen, Aparna Sen, Rituparno Ghosh and Gautam Ghosh have immensely contributed towards meaningful cinema in the country. Majority of these directors have also undertaken a small stint in Bollywood, the biggest film industry of India, and proven their mettle there.
Today, Bengali film industry has emerged as a completely independent and intellectual entity. Known for its melodious music and spell-bounding scripts, it has classics like 'Pather Panchali', 'Devi', 'Jalsaghar', 'Devdas', 'Neel Akasher Neechey' abd 'Meghe Dhaka Tara' to its credit. Bengali cinema has about a 340-million-strong Bengali audience today, spread in Bangladesh, West Bengal, Tripura and Assam. About 30 Bengali films release every year.
In 1919, under the banner of Madan Theatre, the first Bengali feature film - 'Billwamangal' was produced. It was a silent film by Rustomji Dhotiwala, in black and white. After 'Billwamangal', Bengali cinema never looked back. Based in Tollygunge, an area of South Kolkata, the film industry is popularly known as Tollywood. The trend of 'talking movies' began in 1930, with Jamai Shashthi (1931) being the first Bengali film with dialogues.
By 1950, Bengali cinema was as the peak of its popularity. During this time, Uttam Kumar and Suchitra Sen were the most hyped pair of the film industry. This pair ruled Bengali cinema for more than a decade, till Suchitra Sen backed out from the industry, due to some medical issues. Uttam Kumar kept shining on the Bengali silver screen, till his sudden death in 1980. Based in Tollygunge, an area of South Kolkata, West Bengal film industry is known as Tollywood.
Bengali cinema has also made significant contribution towards Indian film industry. Apart from Satyajit Ray, directors like Bimal Roy, Ritwik Ghatak, Mrinal Sen, Aparna Sen, Rituparno Ghosh and Gautam Ghosh have immensely contributed towards meaningful cinema in the country. Majority of these directors have also undertaken a small stint in Bollywood, the biggest film industry of India, and proven their mettle there.
Today, Bengali film industry has emerged as a completely independent and intellectual entity. Known for its melodious music and spell-bounding scripts, it has classics like 'Pather Panchali', 'Devi', 'Jalsaghar', 'Devdas', 'Neel Akasher Neechey' abd 'Meghe Dhaka Tara' to its credit. Bengali cinema has about a 340-million-strong Bengali audience today, spread in Bangladesh, West Bengal, Tripura and Assam. About 30 Bengali films release every year.
CINEMA HALL IN KOLKATA
Ahindra Mancha (Chetla)
Chetla,
Calcutta
Ph : 2479-7170
Alochaya Cinema (Beliaghata)
14B, Dr Suresh Ch Banerjee Road
Calcutta : 700 085
Ph : 2350-5059
Aruna Cinema (Sealdah)
40/2, M G Road
Calcutta : 700 009
Ph : 2350-9561
Ashoka Cinema (Behala)
Behala,
Calcutta
Ph : 2468-3630 / 2458-4079
Basusree Cinema (Bhowanipore)
102, S P Mukherjee Road
Calcutta : 700 026
Ph : 2455-4807
Bharati Cinema
32, S P Mukherjee Road
Calcutta : 700 025
Ph : 2455-5593
Chabighar Cinema (Sealdah)
10A, M G Road
Calcutta : 700 009
Ph : 350-2740
Chaplin Cinema
Chowringhee Place
Calcutta : 700 013
Ph : 2244-6563
Chaya Cinema (Maniktala)
122, A P C Road
Near Maniktala Crossing
Calcutta
Ph : 2350-1382
New Empire Cinema (Lindsay Street)
1 & 2 Humayun Place
Calcutta : 700 013
Ph : 2249-1051 / 2249-1052
Minar Cinema
136/2, Bidhan Sarani
Calcutta - 700 004
Ph : 2233-6753 / 24230
Metro Cinema
5, J L Nehru Road
Calcutta : 700 013
Ph : 228-0141 / 2
Menoka Cinema
5, Sarat Chatterjee Avenue
Calcutta : 700 029
Ph : 2466-0417
Malancha Cinema
63, N S C Bose Road
Calcutta : 700 040
Ph : 2465-8911
Lotus Cinema
106, S N Banerjee Road
Calcutta : 700 014
Ph : 2244-2664
Crown Cinema
82A, Rafi Ahmed Kidwai Road
Calcutta
Ph : 2244-4822
Elite Cinema (Esplanade)
136, S N Banerjee Road
Calcutta : 700 013
Ph : 2244-1383
Gem Cinema (Entally)
159/8, A J C Bose Road
Entally, Calcutta : 700 014
Ph : 2244-9828
Globe Cinema
7E, Lindsay Street
Calcutta : 700 016
Ph : 249-6665
Hind Cinema
G C Avenue
Calcutta
Ph : 27-2473
Jamuna Cinema
31/2B, Marquis Street
Calcutta : 700 016
Ph : 2244-3715
Jyoti Cinema
32/1, Lenin Sarani
Calcutta : 700 013
Ph : 244-1132
Light House Cinema (Esplanade)
2, Humayun Place
Calcutta : 700 013
Ph : 2249-1299 / 1051
Orient Cinema
Bentinck Street
Calcutta
Ph : 248-1917
Paradise Cinema
Bentick Street
Calcutta
Ph : 2248-5442
Prachi Cinema (Sealdah)
124, Lower Circular Road
Calcutta : 700 014
Ph : 2246-1282
Priya Cinema
95, Rash Behari Avenue
Calcutta : 700 029
Ph : 2464-1313
Roxy Cinema
44, Chowringhee Place
Calcutta : 700 013
Ph : 2228-4138
NP Shipping Times (C R Avenue)
19/1, Lower Chitpur Road, 1stFloor
Calcutta : 700 073
Ph : 27-4591 / 26-9027
Navina Cinema
19, Prince Anwar ShahRoad
Calcutta : 700 045
Ph : 2473-3091
Nandan Cinema
111A, A J C Bose Road
Calcutta:700 020
Ph : 2223-1210 / 1777
Bijali Cinema
6/1, Russa Road
Calcutta : 700 025
Ph : 2455-5382
Auro Cinema (Dum Dum Cant)
Gora Bazar Dum Dum
Calcutta
Ph : 2551-4717
Ujjala Cinema
Bhowanipore
Calcutta : 700 026
Ph : 2455-4686
Ahindra Mancha (Chetla)
Chetla,
Calcutta
Ph : 2479-7170
Alochaya Cinema (Beliaghata)
14B, Dr Suresh Ch Banerjee Road
Calcutta : 700 085
Ph : 2350-5059
Aruna Cinema (Sealdah)
40/2, M G Road
Calcutta : 700 009
Ph : 2350-9561
Ashoka Cinema (Behala)
Behala,
Calcutta
Ph : 2468-3630 / 2458-4079
Basusree Cinema (Bhowanipore)
102, S P Mukherjee Road
Calcutta : 700 026
Ph : 2455-4807
Bharati Cinema
32, S P Mukherjee Road
Calcutta : 700 025
Ph : 2455-5593
Chabighar Cinema (Sealdah)
10A, M G Road
Calcutta : 700 009
Ph : 350-2740
Chaplin Cinema
Chowringhee Place
Calcutta : 700 013
Ph : 2244-6563
Chaya Cinema (Maniktala)
122, A P C Road
Near Maniktala Crossing
Calcutta
Ph : 2350-1382
New Empire Cinema (Lindsay Street)
1 & 2 Humayun Place
Calcutta : 700 013
Ph : 2249-1051 / 2249-1052
Minar Cinema
136/2, Bidhan Sarani
Calcutta - 700 004
Ph : 2233-6753 / 24230
Metro Cinema
5, J L Nehru Road
Calcutta : 700 013
Ph : 228-0141 / 2
Menoka Cinema
5, Sarat Chatterjee Avenue
Calcutta : 700 029
Ph : 2466-0417
Malancha Cinema
63, N S C Bose Road
Calcutta : 700 040
Ph : 2465-8911
Lotus Cinema
106, S N Banerjee Road
Calcutta : 700 014
Ph : 2244-2664
Crown Cinema
82A, Rafi Ahmed Kidwai Road
Calcutta
Ph : 2244-4822
Elite Cinema (Esplanade)
136, S N Banerjee Road
Calcutta : 700 013
Ph : 2244-1383
Gem Cinema (Entally)
159/8, A J C Bose Road
Entally, Calcutta : 700 014
Ph : 2244-9828
Globe Cinema
7E, Lindsay Street
Calcutta : 700 016
Ph : 249-6665
Hind Cinema
G C Avenue
Calcutta
Ph : 27-2473
Jamuna Cinema
31/2B, Marquis Street
Calcutta : 700 016
Ph : 2244-3715
Jyoti Cinema
32/1, Lenin Sarani
Calcutta : 700 013
Ph : 244-1132
Light House Cinema (Esplanade)
2, Humayun Place
Calcutta : 700 013
Ph : 2249-1299 / 1051
Orient Cinema
Bentinck Street
Calcutta
Ph : 248-1917
Paradise Cinema
Bentick Street
Calcutta
Ph : 2248-5442
Prachi Cinema (Sealdah)
124, Lower Circular Road
Calcutta : 700 014
Ph : 2246-1282
Priya Cinema
95, Rash Behari Avenue
Calcutta : 700 029
Ph : 2464-1313
Roxy Cinema
44, Chowringhee Place
Calcutta : 700 013
Ph : 2228-4138
NP Shipping Times (C R Avenue)
19/1, Lower Chitpur Road, 1stFloor
Calcutta : 700 073
Ph : 27-4591 / 26-9027
Navina Cinema
19, Prince Anwar ShahRoad
Calcutta : 700 045
Ph : 2473-3091
Nandan Cinema
111A, A J C Bose Road
Calcutta:700 020
Ph : 2223-1210 / 1777
Bijali Cinema
6/1, Russa Road
Calcutta : 700 025
Ph : 2455-5382
Auro Cinema (Dum Dum Cant)
Gora Bazar Dum Dum
Calcutta
Ph : 2551-4717
Ujjala Cinema
Bhowanipore
Calcutta : 700 026
Ph : 2455-4686
