A South Mumbai landmark, the Liberty Cinema, which opened with a 1,196-seat capacity in 1949 with the blockbuster “Andaz,” will get a makeover soon.
Having lost a lot of its patrons to the multiplex culture, it was incurring huge losses for owner Nazir Hoosein, who was advised to sell off the property. However, Nazir told a Mumbai tabloid that his father, Habib Hoosein, who had built it, had made a masterpiece in art deco that he could not destroy.
“It will fit in well with concerts, conferences and cultural performances. That way, I can increase revenues,” he said.
The stage will have to be redesigned, but an exhibition on photography, a fashion show and a French film festival have already been planned.
Selected films will also be continued to be shown, as Nazir has stated that the theatre was a favorite with master filmmakers V. Shantaram, Raj Kapoor and Mehboob Khan.