Mumbai: Mumbai’s famous Gaiety Galaxy theatre in Bandra has been forced to suspend its operations after the police found discrepancies in its licensing documents. The development came after a separate dispute at the theatre over the screening of the devotional film Hanuman Ansh.
According to reports, a group of political party workers reached Gaiety Galaxy, popularly known as part of the G7 Multiplexes, and questioned the management over the theatre not screening Hanuman Ansh. The disagreement reportedly turned into a heated confrontation, during which posters of Mirzapur: The Movie, which was being screened at the venue, were allegedly damaged.
With the situation escalating, the police were called to the theatre. A case was subsequently registered against those allegedly involved in creating the disturbance.
During their intervention, police officials also examined the theatre’s documents. According to a report published by Mid-Day, the authorities found that the theatre’s licence had not been renewed since the 2021-22 period.
Following the discovery, the police directed the management to stop conducting shows at the premises due to the licensing non-compliance. As a result, the iconic Bandra theatre has remained shut since Monday.
The closure, therefore, was not reportedly ordered as a direct action over the Hanuman Ansh screening dispute. Rather, the licensing issue came to light during the police intervention following the alleged ruckus at the theatre.
Gaiety Galaxy is one of Mumbai’s well-known cinema venues and has long been associated with the city’s movie-going culture. The latest development has brought attention to both the dispute surrounding Hanuman Ansh and the regulatory issues concerning the theatre’s operations.