Opera House Theatre and Junction

One of my most cherished memories of is that of an impressive personality of Prithviraj Kapoor. After his show of a drama of Prithvi Theatre ended on Sunday afternoons, he stood at the exit door of Royal Opera House Theatre. Dressed in a snow white pyjama kurta, he held his “khes” in his hands, looking down and gracefully accepting donations for welfare of his workers.

I lived in a building at the other end of the footpath on New Queen’s Road (Mama Parmanand Marg). for nearly a decade and half. I considered Opera House Theatre and its surrounding area as a sacred place for lovers of music, drama and fine arts. Just as pilgrims visit Gangotri, to have a “darshan” of the sacred place where the holy Ganges originates, Opera House junction is a fountainhead of fine arts.

Classical music lovers will always bow their head with respect, when the name of Pandit D V Paluskar is mentioned.  Opera House junction, where as many as eight roads meet, has been named after him. He ran a music school at a corner of the junction.

Music always played a very important role in Prithvi Theatre’s dramas. Raj Kapoor personally contributed to its music score, besides playing small roles in the dramas. Shammi Kapoor also played key roles and Shashi Kapoor was a popular child artist. Music veterans like Ram Ganguli and lyricists of the calibre of Deepak played stellar roles in the success of the dramas. Shankar came from Hyderabad and Jaikishan from Bulsar.  They sat in front of the stage and played musical instruments, adding to the grandeur of live music at Prithvi Theatre.

A bus conductor, who roamed on the footpath outside the Theatre in his spare time, was moved when he saw a hawker dying there and lying unattended. He instantly wrote a poem and was noticed by Prithviraj. That was how Hasrat Jaipuri entered. Shailendra joined after Raj Kapoor made his debut as a film producer.

There was a cafeteria within the Theatre compound. The foursome of Shankar, Jaikishan, Hasrat and Shailendra used to sit for hours together, working on creative musical scores. Many immortal songs must have been conceived there. Strangely, however, they chose to hold most of their sessions not in this cafeteria, because it charged higher rates meant for the audience of the Theatre. but patronized an Irany restaurant located just across the road. Often I went to that restaurant to buy bread or eggs and found them sitting in a midst of discussion, over bun maska and tea. I could get a grand view of the Theatre’s imposing frontage, with an artistic statue at its top. I am glad it is being renovated, to restore the heritage structure.

Another musical genius, who went almost unsung, lived in the same locality, at the foot of Kennedy Bridge. He had a long span of 20 years as a music director but composed for only 14 films. He was highly revered by Lata Mangeshkar. He was Sajjad Hussein (“Sangdil” fame – Yeh hawa, yeh raat aur yeh chandni )

Opera House Theatre had an adjoining  building, which was pulled down  by dance ballet producer Yogen Desai, to make way for “Kala Bhavan” . Asha Parekh, who was his leading lady, rehearsed there for years.

Opera House Theatre screened many memorable films. Its specialty was many large posters lined up on its long compound wall. Their memories are worthwhile for exclusive  coverage in a full chapter, some time in future.