THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Tagore Theatre has always been a paradise for cinephiles, especially during the International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK). Being the main venue of IFFK, the theatre situated at Vazhuthacaud in Thiruvananthapuram comes alive with conversations and meet-ups, all revolving around one topic cinema.
Built in 1965, as part of celebrating Rabindranath Tagore’s birth centenary, the space was once known as the Tagore Centenary Hall. Now, owned and run by the public relations department, the theatre has a long history to discuss.
“The Indian government had promised to create memorials of Tagore in key cities as part of the centenary celebration. This place used to be the forest department’s timber yard. And it is where timber was stored for the needs of the public works department. The information and public relations department took over the land from the forest department and constructed a theatre there. The design was created by J C Alexander,” historian M G Sasibhooshan says.
J C Alexander was the first person to hold the post of chief architect and town planner of the Kerala government. His designs were used for many iconic buildings around the city. Unfortunately, the Tagore Theatre’s initial design failed to connect with the people. The modern design of the theatre did not pay any homage to Kerala’s traditions, which made it an oddball next to the traditional buildings around it. Taking the criticism into account, the building had small additions made to it to represent Kerala’s culture. The small statue of Tagore, designed by famed sculptor Kanayi Kunhiraman, is the highlight of the theatre’s design elements.
Despite hosting various cultural programmes throughout the years, the theatre became prominent after becoming the main venue for the IFFK in 2015. After four years of renovation, costing the state coffer `23 crore, the theatre became the best spot to host the IFFK.
“Tagore Theatre offers the most secure parking in the city for a large number of people. It has a 3,000-sq-feet stage and a state-of-the-art drapery system, allowing the stage to be moulded according to the number of performers. For programmes such as the IFFK, we have some of the best quality screens, projectors and sound systems,” says Y L Abhilash, cultural development officer at the Tagore Theatre.
T P Salim Kumar has been attending the festival ever since Tagore theatre was renovated. “Just like Adoor Gopalakrishnan said, I believe the ambience and atmosphere provided by this theatre are irreplaceable. It is part of what makes the IFFK such a success, and I believe it should always be the main venue for the festival.”
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