Shanti 70mm (Narayanguda)

Situated in the heart of the city, Shanti lives up to the name and prestige it has carved for itself. And in case you happen to be a theater-owner who is ready to close shop, get in touch with the management of this one for some very valuable tips.

Set up in 1969, Shanti has been entertaining the audience with regular "family-fare". That is one of its major plus points. With the film-industry slump, Hyderabad's many theaters - like Shalimar at Ramkote, for instance - turned into marriage halls or started selling themselves to different managements. Shanti, on the other hand, stays in season by sticking to movies that appeal to everybody - the young and the old, the arty and the masses.

The first thing that would strike you on entering the premises are the premises themselves. The courtyard measures around 6,000 yards, and includes a neat bit of greenery. Which makes the congested parking lot a surprise. What's somewhat less surprising is the usual eight bucks for parking your bike.

Once inside, clean interiors replete with shiny tiling, mirrored walls and carpeted walkways welcome you. If the air-conditioning doesn't chill you during the movie, then the blaring acoustics surely will. Though the theater claims to support Digital DTS sound, the crowd generally walks away with a headache rather than memories of the movie. The morning show barely begins, when the indiscernible but so-much-in-love couple or the regular student gang from the neighbouring colleges drop in.

If Maheshwari is the baap of movie theaters in Hyderabad, we at fullhyd.com vote for Shanti as the son-in-law. Richly done, but always under the big guys' shadows.