Elgin Talkies oldest cinema: Flowers, Posters, Fandom
Director: Gaurav Chandelya; Cinematographer: Gaurav Chandelya
Duration: 00:29:57; Aspect Ratio: 1.333:1; Hue: 229.883; Saturation: 0.025; Lightness: 0.253; Volume: 0.224; Cuts per Minute: 13.588; Words per Minute: 39.430
Summary: Footage from WICITYTV, which was a pirate cable TV channel that ran in Shivaji Nagar, Bangalore in November 2005. Elgin Talkies is a 116-year-old decrepit cinema house in Shivaji Nagar that still uses carbon arc projectors. Older than cinema itself, it was first a playhouse, and its logbook catalogues a veritable history of early cinema from silent films to the screening of India’s first talkie, Alam Ara. Gaurav Chandelya spent 48 hours inside Elgin, clocking the daily films and changes.The film, Kahani Elgin Ki
http://chitrakarkhana.net/elgintalkies.htm was aired on local cable. (
http://chitrakarkhana.net/whycitytv.htm)
Audience is leaving the theater. Khan asks the audience to exit. Outside it is bright daylight.
Elgin Talkies Theater, Shivajinagar
Khan: Come,come,fast.
color
infra red vision
night vision
theater
audience
bangalore
cinema
elgin talkies
pirate tv
sanjay dutt
shivaji nagar
wicitytv
Audience:Voice unclear
Khan: Go,there.
Khan asks the audience near the theater doors to exit. The camera zooms to a man in a checked shirt.
checked
man
shirt
theater doors
Elgin Talkies Shivajinagar
A man in a blue T-shirt views film posters on the display board. The camera pans right to several film posters on the display boards.
blue
display boards
film
posters
t-shirt
No dialog.
Elgin Talkies Theater, Shivajinagar
In the break, the cinema staff sweep in between the rows of seats in the theater.
rows
seats
sweeping
theater
?Dialogs in Kannada?
cinema
infra red vision
night vision
staff
Elgin Talkies Theater, Shivajinagarr
Infrared (night vision) shot of Khan standing against the caption "NO SMOKING".
no smoking
standing
Elgin Talkies Theater, Shivajinagar
Inside the theater and the cinema staff cleaning the theater.
No dialog.
cleaning
lights
theater
A rickshaw with women and children enters the theater premises.
Gaurav: Yes its there. Yours is also there.
premises
Elgin Talkies Shivajinagar
children
rickshaw
women
Gaurav is talking to the women seated in the rickshaw,in the theater premises.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ajnabee_(2001_film)
Gaurav:So,have you all come to watch the evening show?
Lady: Yes.
Gaurav:Do you normally come here always?
Lady:Sometimes we come.
Gaurav: Oh you come sometimes, to Elgin.
Lady:First we would come frequently,now we come sometimes.
Gaurav: Oh you come sometimes.
Lady: The video VCD has come thats why.
Gaurav:So when some special film you like, is there, you come?
Lady:Yes.
Gaurav:Oh so you have not seen the film "Ajnabee" on V.C.D.?
Lady:No I have not seen. I have seen old films and horror films.
Gaurav: So,you get to see all old films in the hall?
Lady:Yes.
Gaurav:In the new halls you do not get to see such films.
Lady:No you do not get to see such films in the new hall. They screen such films here.
Gaurav Oh they screen it here.
horror films
old
premises. ajnabee
v.c.p
video
Gaurav is talking to the women and children while they are still seated in the rickshaw! He asks the usual questions, but in an interesting way..
Gaurav:Do you stay close by?
Lady: No, a bit far
Gaurav:A bit far,but still you come.
Lady:We have an auto,so we come from there to here.
Gaurav:Okay. So is this the only hall or is there any other hall nearby which screens old films?
Lady:There are many. At Sangeet Hall (close by) there too they screen old films. Here they screen films of Rafi.
Gaurav:Okay.
Lady:We like films with Mohammed Rafi
Gaurav:Okay
Lady:They come here.
Gaurav: Which films do the children like to watch?Who is their favorite hero?
Child:Salman Khan
Gaurav: Salman Khan,but this film has Akshay Kumar
Child:I like him a little bit.
Gaurav :Okay you like him also.
Gaurav to another child:Worm do you like?
Lady questions the child Gaurav is asking:Who is you favorite hero. She likes Shah Rukh Khan.
Gaurav:Shah Rukh Khan.
Lady :She is shy and does not talk.
akshay kumar
male actors
mohammed rafi
playback singer
salman khan
shah rukh khan
premises
Gaurav is talking to the women and children seated in the rickshaw, in the theater premises.
Gaurav to the Older Lady: You, Aunty ?
Older Lady: Any,I watch films which the children wish to see.
Gaurav:Nowadays everyone complains that earlier better films were made as compared to today
Older Lady: Nowadays good films are not made. Films made earlier like Hariyali,Wooden Khatola, were good films. There was Palace Talkies in the market,which was very old. Here there was B.R.V.,which were very old and good..
Lady:Both these Talkies do not exist.
Gaurav:They do not exist?
Lady: They are not there now. Now if you say old talkies, it is this one.
b.r.v
hariyali
palace talkies
wooden khatola
Gaurav is talking to the driver, and women seated in the rickshaw,in the theater premises.
Rickshaw Driver:First they would run it privately then the military captured it..
Gaurav:Okay.
Rickshaw Driver:Thats why now they do not screen hindi films,they made it a complex.
Gaurav: Oh they have made it a complex.
Rickshaw Driver:Yes complex.
Gaurav: What is there in the complex?
Rickshaw Driver: It is for the Military.
Gaurav: Oh for the military
Lady to Gaurav: You get everything for the military. All original things. You get everything.
Gaurav to Older Lady:Aunty do you watch old films on VCD and DVD.
Older Lady Yes I do watch.
Gaurav:They may not be coming here.
complex
driver
dvd
hindi films
military
vcd
The cinema staff stands on a ledge and send a rope down. Gaurav is talking to a man starting his motor bike.
Voices unclear
Gaurav:You must be busy in the evenings.
Man on the bike:Yes
Gaurav:...Unclear will you watch the evening film?
Man on the bike:Yes
Gaurav: You will watch the evening film,then I will watch it with you.
Man in the red shirt: voice unclear
ledge
motorbike
rope
cinema
staff
Elgin Talkies, Projector Room Shivajinagar
The cinema staff are climbing up the stairs with film cans to the projector room. They place some cans on a stool and some besides it. The camera zooms to a sticker on the can with "Sathya Films", and to the title as "Maruan"and to another lots of cans,of the film "Maine Dil Tujhko Diya".
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0326600/
Voices unclear
Cinema staff: Put it out,in that.
Young boy: This?
Cinema staff taking the can: Give it here.
Gaurav:Which film did you bring?
Cinema staff:This is a Tamil picture (pointing towards the sticker)see, its written in English
Gaurav: Maruan.
Cinema staff:This is Maine Dil Tujhko Diya.
Gaurav:when will this screen?
Cinema staff:This will screen from tomorrow,for two weeks.
cans
climbing
film
maine dil tujhko diya
maruan
projector room
sathya films
stairs
sticker
stool
tamil
Cinema staff: Where are you going?
Colleague:?Dialogs in Kannada?
Cinema staff::?Dialogs in Kannada?Come quick.
Cinema staff:Now we will remove this.(repeats)
Elgin Talkies Shivajinagar
The cinema staff are talking amongst themselves outside the theater. The audience are viewing posters with actors and actresses lit in a display window.
actors
actresses
posters
window
display
Cinema staff:We will make it bigger.
Gaurav: I am coming,wait.
Gaurav: Show.
Cinema staff:....unclear. Its closed.
Cinema staff:Voices unclear. Come quick, come quick.
Cinema staff::?Dialogs in Kannada?
Cinema staff:Leave it,do not do it with your mouth.?Dialogs in Kannada?
Gaurav: No it will do...unclear.
The cinema staff are removing garlands of flowers from the plastic bag and put on the display shelf in the canteen. Thereafter the staff tie a thread to the shelf to increase the length of the garland.
"Don't do it with your mouth"- he says, but he just did himself!
bag
plastic
canteen
flowers
garlands
shelf
thread
Elgin Talkies Canteen Shivajinagar
Cinema staff:?Dialogs in Kannada?Leave it. Hold it here.
Leave it,leave it down
Cinema staff:?Dialogs in Kannada?
Gaurav to a child:Do something like a hero.(Repeats)
Child: What?
Gaurav:Like a hero.
Cinema Staff:Saab.
Gaurav:Ha.
Cinema Staff:Come here,hold it. Down.
Cinema staff:?Dialogs in Kannada?
Cinema staff:Hold it like this.
?Dialogs in Kannada?Leave it down.?Dialogs in Kannada?
The cinema staff are tying the garlands of flowers to the thread on the shelf in the canteen. Gaurav is talking to a child.
Gaurav: He is the oldest, thats why you are doing this. This garland for Sanjay Dutt is worn by your Sanjay Dutt.
Cinema staff:?Dialogs in Kannada?
Cinema staff: Leave it,move.
Cinema staff:?Dialogs in Kannada?
Gaurav:Quickly,its going to be evening.
Cinema staff:?Dialogs in Kannada?
The cinema staff are teasing each other and putting garlands of flowers on Khan,who removes it and puts its on the shelf,in the canteen. The staff is tying the garlands of flowers to the thread in order to make a big garland.
sanjay dutt
great photos
Cinema staff:?Dialogs in Kannada?
Khan:Give me the photo.
Cinema staff:Give me the pin.(repeats)
Cinema staff:?Dialogs in Kannada?
The cinema staff are putting pictures of Sanjay Dutt, on safety pins, on the garland of flowers. The camera zooms to the picture of Sanjay Dutt.
safety pins
Cinema staff:?Dialogs in Kannada?
Khan:Climb up,climb up.
Cinema staff:?Dialogs in Kannada?
Khan:Clap loudly,
The cinema staff are carrying big garlands of flowers,climb the wooden ladder to the top of the Elgin Talkies gate,besides the wooden display with the film poster,"Maine Dil Tujhko Diya".The audience are clapping and cheering.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0326600/
audience
cheering
clapping
display
ladder
wooden
Elgin Talkies Shivajinagar
film
gate
maine dil tujhko diya
poster
Audience: Say cheers to Sanjay Dutt (repeats)
Khan:?Dialogs in Kannada?
The cinema staff are putting a big garland of flowers,on the film poster,
"Maine Dil Tujhko Diya" on the Elgin Talkies gate. The poster also has the date 15-11-05 on it. The film stars Sanjay Dutt, Sohail Khan and Sameera Reddy.
The garland is only on Sanjay Dutt! As we see later, this is from his fans.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0326600/
15-11-05
date
female lead
garland
male lead
sameera reddy
sanjay dutt
sohail khan
The cinema staff are putting another big garland of flowers,on the film poster,"Maine Dil Tujhko Diya" on the Elgin Talkies gate. Khan assists in tying the garland of flowers on the other side of the display board. The poster also has the date 15-11-05 on it. The film stars Sanjay Dutt, Sohail Khan and Sameera Reddy.
Again, the garland is only on Sanjay Dutt.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0326600/
Cinema staff:?Dialogs in Kannada?
The camera shows a back view of the cinema staff standing on the gate of Elgin Talkies tying the thread of the garland to the wooden display board. The camera pans down to the people looking at the display board.
board
thread
wooden display
The camera shows the front and back view of the cinema staff standing on the gate of Elgin Talkies behind the display board with the film poster,"Maine Dil Tujhko Diya".The poster also has the date 15-11-05 on it. The film stars Sanjay Dutt, Sohail Khan and Sameera Reddy. A van passes by.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0326600/
male lead
15-11-05
back
date
female lead
film
flowers
front
gate
maine dil tujhko diya
poster
sameera reddy
sanjay dutt
sohail khan
van
view
The cinema staff are standing besides the wooden display board with the film poster,"Maine Dil Tujhko Diya".The poster also has the date 15-11-05 on it. The film stars Sanjay Dutt, Sohail Khan and Sameera Reddy. But only Sanjay Dutt is garlanded.
The camera pans left to the people viewing the display board and pans right to the cinema staff.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0326600/
male lead
There is a garland of flowers on the display board with the film poster of "Maine Dil Tujhko Diya"above the Elgin talkies gate. The camera pans left to the audience in the theater premises and the buildings around.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0326600/
Voice Unclear
audience
board
buildings
display
There is a garland of flowers on the display board with the film poster of "Maine Dil Tujhko Diya"above the Elgin talkies gate. The camera pans left to the buildings in the background and the audience in the theater premises.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0326600/
No dialog.
Posters with Amrish Puri and Kajol.
actors
amrish puri
kajol
pictures
A man in a T- shirt and jeans is standing besides a film poster of "Hum" talking on his mobile phone.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0102071/
film
hum
jeans
mobile phone
poster
t-shirt
Gaurav walks up to a group of children playing in the theater premises outside the canteen. They fight playfully to come close to the camera.
Gaurav: have you come to watch a film?
Child:Voice unclear
Gaurav:How many films do you watch in a day?
Child: I do not watch films much, just once in a week
Gaurav:Once in a week.
canteen
children
playing
premises
theater
Cinema staff:?Dialogs in Kannada?
The audience is waiting in the theater premises.
audience
waiting
No dialog.
The audience is waiting in the theater courtyard,besides the display window. The camera pans left to the audience waiting near the gate.
courtyard
display window
gate
Gaurav tries to talk to a man standing besides a display window with the film poster of "Maine Dil Tujhko Diya".
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0326600/
Gaurav:Can I talk you? Do you know Hindi?
Man:Yes.
Gaurav:Have you come to watch the film?
Man:Yes
Gaurav:What work do you do?
Man:I work here only.
Gaurav:You work close by. Have you not gone to work?
Man:No
Gaurav:Is it a holiday?
Man:Yes,it a holiday
display
film poster
maine dil tujhko diya
shy
window
Infrared (night vision) shot of the the ceiling and a top shot of the inside of the theater premises.
No dialog.
ceiling
premises
roof
theater
Elgin Talkies Theater, Shivajinagar
infra red vision
night vision
Infrared (night vision) shots of the audience watching the film on the screen. Shashi Kapoor plays the role of an inspector. In this scene he visits his new born son in the hospital.
Wife:Congratulations Mr. Khanna you have got a son.
Shashi Kapor. I have got a son,not me,you have a son,we have a son.
Shashi Kapor. Thank god,are you alright?
Wife:Yes. How much you make me wait everyday?
Shashi Kapoor:Voice unclear
Wife:My child is a like a king
Shashi Kapoor:(picking up the child)Oh Inspector,did you like your mother and farther?
Wife:Now will you return home early?
Shashi Kapoor:Why?
Wife:Because we, mother and son shall wait for you.
hospital
inspector
male lead
new born
role
shashi kapoor
audience
camera print
film
screen
In this scene while the nurse takes the new born child to the nursery, Kader Khan questions her. Audience is still entering the theater, from the daylight outside.
Nurse:Oh hello my little baby,who has come?
Kader Khan:Hello.
Nurse:Hello
Kader Khan:Is this a boy or a girl?
Nurse:This a boy.
Kader Khan:Whose son is this?
Nurse:Inspector Kabir.
Kader Khan:Ah!
born
child
kader khan
male actor
new
nurse
nursery
Kader Khan:Voice unclear
Nurse:What are doing Mr. Dalal?
Kader Khan:Ms. Rosy,I have heard that you want to go London because your boyfriend is getting married for the second time.
Nurse:Yes
Kader Khan:Then the cost of the return ticket and money I shall give if you change the children's numbers in the Register. Okay?
Nurse:Oh Okay
Kader Khan to Wife:A male child is born.
Wife:Boy.
Kader Khan:Yes.
Wife:Boy,But the nurse was saying that we had a girl.
Kader Khan:The nurse is crazy. We had a son.
Wife; A girl is also a form of Laxmi.
Kader Khan:Voice unclear
The camera changes to color. The door closes, then opens again as more people enter. On screen babies are crying in the nursery. Kader Khan interchanges the children's lockets and when the nurse sees this, he bribes her. He takes the male child to his wife in the hospital room.
bribe
color
hospital room
interchanges
locket
male
In this scene Shashi Kapoor confronts the doctor when he knows his son is interchanged. The role of the doctor is played by Ranjeet.
Ranjeet to Nurse:Drink.
Shashi Kapoor:What is the matter?
Wife:My child is changed.
Shashi Kapoor:Don't be silly,there must be some mistake...Voice unclear
Nurse:Besides this child there is no other child.
Wife:What?
Shashi Kapoor:What are you saying. There is surely some mistake. Wait, I will come.....Voice Unclear
camera print confronts
interchanged
ranjeet
son
doctor
male lead
shashi kapoor
In this scene Shashi Kapoor, the doctor and staff are shocked as the nurse has committed suicide. The camera changes to infra red ( night vision) of the audience watching the film on screen.
Ranjeet:Surely she has ended her life.
She has read her boyfriends letter.....It is definitely a case of suicide.
Shashi Kapoor: Voice Unclear
Ranjeet: Inspector Kapil...Voice Unclear
Dialogs unclear
nurse
shocked
suicide
audience
camera print
film
infrared
night vision
screen
Infra-red shots of the audience watching the film on the screen. In this scene Ranjeet and Shashi Kapoor are arguing in the court. The judge grants temporary custody of the child to a hospital staff who comes forward. This role is played by Aruna Irani.
Voice Unclear
Ranjeet;That postmortem report was given to the court.
Shashi Kapoor:This is pure lies....Voice Unclear
Ranjeet;This is lies.
Judge:Order,order.
Judge:Inspector Avinash....
Voice unclear. Till the case is finally decided you will keep this child.
Shashi Kapoor:No my Lord. I want justice from the law....Voice unclear.
Judge:Is there any good person who will look after the child till the case is finally decided.
Aruna Irani:Me sir,I will take care of her.
Judge:Alright....Voice unclear. Rupees Five Hundred is awarded per month for the maintenance of the child......
Inspector Khanna.....Voice unclear.
?Aruna Irani Enough Sir. What more do I need?
Judge: Voice unclear
aruna irani
child
court
custody
hospital
judge
ranjeet
role
staff
The audience are still watching film on screen in the theater.
Needs Transcription.
Infrared (night vision) shots of the audience watching the film on the screen. In this scene Shashi Kapoor visits a convict in his cell.
cell
convict
infrared
male lead
night vision
shashi kapoor
In this scene Aruna Irani is arguing with another lady. There are festivities and fireworks in the background.
Aruna Irani:This is illegal, this child does not have a mother, father. The court has granted custody to me. The court also gives me money to look after the child.
If you want to ask me anything else, go ahead.
Lady:Voice unclear
Aruna Irani:Voice unclear
Lady:What concern do I have have?
Man:Oh...Voice unclear
Aruna Irani: What is it?
Man:Come here. You have got a lottery for five hundred rupees.
Aruna Irani:Lottery,of five hundred rupees.
arguing
aruna irani
child
custody
female actor
festivities
five hundred
granted
illegal
lottery
money
In this scene devotees are singing and dancing in devotion before a female deity. The role of the deity is played by Sridevi
female lead
dancing
deity
devotees
devotion
female
role
singing
sridevi
In this scene devotees are singing and dancing in devotion before a female deity. The role of the deity is played by Sridevi . The camera zooms to the offerings of money in a tray. Sridevi is motionless, looking at the devotees,
the camera shows her twitching, thereby breaking her immobility.
immobility
money
motionless
offerings
tray
twitching
Song of the film.
Devotees continue singing and dancing. A policeman enters the temple and joins in .The camera changes color and zooms to Sridevi.
infra red
vision
night vision
policeman
temple
female lead
Sridevi is motionless onlooking her devotees, when the policeman offers her money,she wags her fingers. He unfolds the note to reveal the denomination and she extends her hand in blessing. The camera pans right to Sridevi scratching and breaking her immobility.
blessing
breaking
denomination
extends
fingers
hand
immobility
motionless
note
onlooking
scratching
unfolds
wags
In this scene the priest closes the curtain before the deity. The role of the deity is played by Sridevi. She heaves a sigh of relief,puts the offerings of money in a bag and disappears. The policeman and the priest enter the room and are shocked to see that the deity and the money offerings missing.
bag
curtain
disappears
missing
money
offerings
policeman
priest
relief
shocked
sigh
Song of the film.
Chorus:Jai Laxmi, Jai Laxmi,Jai Jai Bolo,Jai Laxmi,Jai Laxmi, Jai Laxmi, Jai Jai Bolo, Jai Laxmi(Repeats)
deity
In this scene Sridevi is dancing with her friends in a mela. She offers money to a woman wearing a photo frame of a deity. When the woman turns she folds her hands before the photo frame of deity hung on her back.
camera print.dancing
carnival
folds
hands
mela
photo frame
friends
great photos
In this scene Sridevi is distributing money to elder people and dancing with her friends.
distributing
elder
people
camera print
dancing
money
In this scene a man is standing before a ticket counter and Sridevi is picking his pocket. She continues singing and dancing with friends in a mela and on the carnival ride.
carnival
mela
picking
pocket
ride
singing
ticket counter
A night vision (infra-red) shot of the audience watching the song of film on the screen, eating and drinking:)
Song of the film.
audience
song
film
infra red vision
night vision
screen
In this scene, Sridevi pretends to be blind and asks for alms from an old gentleman.
Needs Transcription.
alms
female lead
gentleman
old
sridevi
Gaurav is talking to the projectionist in the projector room whilst they are working with the projection equipment.
Gaurav:Who has taught you?(repeats)
Cinema Staff:Voice unclear
cinema
equipment
projection
projectionist
projector
room
staff
Pad.ma requires JavaScript.
