Relive the Grandeur of Liberty Cinema Through This Photographer's Eyes

It’s a little known fact that Mumbai host to the second largest Art Deco movement in the world, following Miami. Short for Arts Décoratifs, Art Deco, a style of design, art and architecture that was popularised in France following the first World War, involves a combination of traditional craft with opulent imagery to create visual masterpieces that defined elegance. Nowhere is this style more apparent in this city than, perhaps, our own lovechild of cinema and Art Deco - the notorious Liberty Cinema.

This stylistic movement is known for its rich colours and bold geometric symmetry, something that Liberty Cinema vividly incorporates. Founded by Habib Hoosein in 1947, the cinema was aptly named Liberty, following India’s independence. It was a 1200-seater single screen that was home to the glitterati of Mumbai during the mid 1900s. The epitome of glamour and sophistication, Liberty became the location for numerous movie premieres, including Mughal-e-Azam and Hum Aapke Hain Kaun, which according to Tasveer Journal, ran for 2341 shows in 847 days. Unfortunately, much like other Art Deco single-screen cinemas, it became difficult to compete with the rising multiplexes around town.

Shahid Datawala photographed Liberty Cinema over a span of a year on multiple visits, visually documenting the historic grandeur of this institutions before it fades away.

“I have photographed many cinema spaces in and around India,” Datawala tells Homegrown. ”Liberty was by far one of the most enchanting cinema spaces I have ever seen in the country. The sheer grandeur and majesty was overwhelming and inspiring. It’s difficult to tell which image I have taken is my favourite because every single one has a distinct emotion of the space. The sheer scale of them and the architecture… sadly most of the architecture of the old cinemas are crumbling. My endeavour has always been about giving them a second life through my images, to bring out the grandeur that used to exist in its heydays”

We’re posting below a selection of his images, you can view the entire series on his website.