G7 Multiplex (Gaiety-Galaxy), Bandra, Mumbai, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Gaiety-Galaxy, Bandra’s Bollywood-favourite cinema, shuts amid dispute
Mumbai’s historic Gaiety-Galaxy cinema in Bandra has been temporarily shut, with police citing a licence lapse and the owner citing burnt electrical cables.
Gaiety-Galaxy, the Bandra cinema long associated with Bollywood premieres and events, has been temporarily shut amid a dispute over the cause.
Bandra police said the closure was due to non-renewal of the theatre’s operating licence and confirmed a case had been registered under Section 223 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
Executive director Manoj Desai disputed that, saying burnt electrical cables were the actual cause, with new cables being sourced from Lohar Chawl in South Mumbai.
The theatre has operated in Bandra since 1972 and has hosted premieres for numerous Bollywood releases over the decades.
No reopening date has been announced while the licensing question and electrical repairs are addressed.
Gaiety Galaxy has historically hosted premieres and events for major Bollywood releases, making it a recognisable name well beyond Bandra itself.
Authorities have not specified a date for reopening, with the timeline dependent on completion of the electrical repairs and submission of renewed certification.
Mumbai’s municipal and police authorities routinely inspect entertainment venues for fire-safety and licensing compliance, particularly after incidents involving electrical faults at public venues.
The conflicting accounts from police and the theatre’s management — license non-renewal versus a technical electrical fault — have not yet been publicly reconciled by either side.
Gaiety Galaxy in Bandra has operated since 1972 and is one of Mumbai’s oldest surviving single-screen theatre complexes, a fixture of the city’s Bollywood-adjacent cinema culture.
Bandra police registered a case under Section 223 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita against the theatre’s operators after finding required certificates had not been renewed.
Executive director Manoj Desai told reporters the shutdown was due to burnt electrical cables inside the theatre, and that replacement cables were being sourced from Lohar Chawl in South Mumbai.
A notice posted by Bandra police outside the theatre stated that shows were suspended for the time being due to non-renewal of the venue’s operating license.
G7 Multiplex (Gaiety-Galaxy), Bandra, Mumbai, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0