A perfect case of a theater going over to the Dark Side. Once the proud provider of a whole generation's Hollywood favorites, Kumar is now a mere shadow of its former self. With
Sangeet and
Anand, Kumar formed the triumvirate that screened quality English flicks. Together they took a plunge into Bollywood, and while Anand and Sangeet came out unscathed, Kumar is now left screening soft-porn and B-grade duds to make ends meet.
Jammed parking lots and full lobbies are now a haunting memory. Decrepit staircases wind confusingly to unnecessary levels, and sometimes to nowhere at all. Half-done renovations leave huge amounts of legroom, but there is absolutely no shoulder-room. The Rs. 20 seating area is very high up, and it strains your neck to look down onto the screen. The amazing sound system that came as part of the post-Jurassic-Park-theater-renovation all around Hyderabad is, however, still top-notch.
The loos are leaky and broken, but clean. The snack stand is a perfect instance of looting with a license. And walls once adorned with Hollywood screen idols now display peeling paint.
Happy memories of my first John Woo flick, Face/Off, have now taken a beating.