Regal Cinema shutting shop from March 31; Will screen “Phillauri” as its last outing

New Delhi, March 24, 2017: Situated in the heart of Delhi, the oldest and iconic Regal Cinema has announced to shut its operations from March 31st after the owners failed to acquire a structural security certificate.

Anushka Sharma's "Phillauri" will be the last film to be screened in the 84-year-old theater, situated in the heart of the city, reported PTI.

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The sad news of its shutting down was shared by its owners through a notice put outside the theater.

"It has been decided by the management to close down the business from the premises wef 31.3. 2017," the notice read.

"We decided to close the cinema after NDMC issued a notice to all buildings in CP demanding a structural safety certificate," manager at Regal, Roop Ghai told PTI.

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The owners of Regal were already devising a plan of turning the single screen into a multiplex. They were planning to close the theater and re-open it after converting it into a multiplex, but the sudden decision comes after the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) issued a notice to all the buildings in Connaught Place (CP), demanding structural security certificate.

"We were planning to shut the theater and convert it into a multiplex. But we decided to close it by the end of this month after NDMC issued a notice to all the buildings in CP demanding structural safety certificate," manager of Regal, Roop Ghai told PTI.

NDMC had issued a notice after the roof of two buildings in the area collapsed last month.

"Regal building is 84-year-old and the inspection to get the certificate will take time. We are not in a position to carry out the business activity as we don't want any mishap to happen in our building. We don't want to take any risk.

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'Phillauri' will be the last movie that we screen," Ghai adds.

The manager says they are as yet working towards changing over the theater into a multiplex, however, can't begin the remodel unless they get the consent from the NDMC.

"The theater will be converted into a multiplex but right now we are just closing it due to safety reasons. It is not finalized yet which multiplex chain will take over Regal, but we are already done with 60 per cent of the permission.

"Renovation will not start without the permission from NDMC."

According to a senior NDMC official, they did issue a notice to all the buildings in CP to submit a structural stability certificate.

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"We had issued a notice to the owners of the building, to submit a structural stability and safety certificate following the roof collapses in Connaught Place. Failing to do so they may have decided to close down," the official says.

He, however, clarified that there was no instruction from the civic body to close the building.

-prepared by Ashish Srivastava of NewsGram Twitter @PhulRetard