Here is the story of SSVT, the first cinema hall in Odisha and back then the pride of Berhampur. But lets go one step at a time. The concept of cinema was very new some 75 to 80 years back and one of the first cinema halls to introduce people to the love for cinema, was built in Berhampur, a sleepy town in the District of Ganjam in Odisha.
That was about 84 years back. It was the era of the silent motion picture and India had very few cinema halls in those days. Cinema halls grew in number and popularity only after the talkie era which started in the 1930s. However much before the talkie era, a cinema hall named Sri Sitaram Vilas Talkies (SSVT) was built in Berhampur by a man named Sri Atmakuru Buchichetty in the year 1927.
The Interesting History Of SSVT, The First Cinema Hall In Odisha
There is a very interesting history about the time when SSVT started showing silent movies. During those days, a man named Shivarao would sit on a chair in front of the screen holding a microphone and he would explain the story to the audience. The spectators would listen with rapt attention to this man as he used to narrate the story in a very interesting way.
When the movie hall was built, it had a thatched roof and there were no seats. The spectators used to watch the movies sitting on the sandy floor. Later on the building was renovated into a concrete structure with a few seats towards the back of the hall for the upper class or the elite.
Many Britishers who used to come to spend their holidays in the sea beach of Gopalpur in Ganjam district, came to watch Indian movies in SSVT. English films were also screened. The President of India Sri V.V.Giri, also visited this movie hall.
This cinema hall was known to have been the first to screen India’s first silent movie named ‘Raja Harishchandra’ and also the first talkie film named ‘Alam Ara’. In those days, film making was very less. So the hall was also used to stage plays, usually Telegu dramas.
The first Odia film ‘Sita Bibaha’ was screened here in 1934. Till the 1950s, mostly Hindi and English movies were screened followed by Odia and Telegu films. But later when two or more movie halls came up in Berhampur, SSVT screened only Telegu films or those Hindi films which were made under the banner of South Indian film makers.
With the passage of time, modern techniques were adopted and a 35 mm machine was used instead of a projector, which was brought from London. At first 1000 persons used to sit together to watch films but later when changes were made and seats were introduced, the seating capacity was reduced from 1000 to 600 in order to make it more comfortable for the viewers.
There was a light on top of the hall and a bell was rung to announce the beginning of the movie. During intermission, brisk business was done by the local vendors who rushed to sell different types of snacks. There was a canteen near the hall where very tasty food was sold and sometimes this was a big attraction for the people. SSVT was the only place of entertainment and was very popular. People from far and wide used to throng to Berhampur only to watch films here.
Why The First Cinema Hall in Odisha Closed Down
However in the year 1999, Odisha experienced a Super cyclone, which was the first of its kind. This cyclone brought widespread destruction all around. The people and the administration were totally unprepared for such a catastrophe. It was during this natural calamity, that the historic theatre SSVT, was shut down permanently as it was badly damaged in the cyclonic storm.
It is not known why attempts were not made to repair and restore the theatre. This Movie Hall ran for 73 years. The area which once upon a time bustled with crowds of people, now lies empty and silent.
Sometimes, this field is used to organize exhibitions and functions during festivals. However even to this day the people of Berhampur will never be able to forget the glorious days of SSVT….a landmark achievement that Odisha will always be proud of.
