Kalabhavan makes its debut

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Before closing it down for a facelift, the government-owned Kalabhavan theatre at Vazhuthacaud here is offering a surprise for cinemagoers. A film will be commercially released here on Friday for the first time in its 28-year history. ‘Manjadikkuru’, directed by Anjali Menon, will be the first movie to be screened here.The onus fell on Kalabhavan as all the other  releasing centres in the city are now screening crowd-pullers. The chances are low for another release in Kalabhavan, where the renovation works are set to start in another 30 days.The 138-minute ‘Manjadikkuru’ has Prithviraj, Rahman, Jagathy and Thilakan among its cast. It has added four songs, though its shorter version had won the FIPRESCI (the international federation of film critics) Award for the best Malayalam film in the International Film Festival of Kerala in 2008.Though it is a release, there will not be any additional shows for ‘Manjadikkuru’ other than the regular screenings at 2.15 pm, 6.30 pm and 9.30 pm.“KSFDC has awarded the renovation work to BSNL and it will start on June 20. Kalabhavan will emerge as our model theatre with multiplex facilities,” KSFDC Chairman Sabu Cherian told Express. Kalabhavan will be the first among the ten theatres owned by the Kerala State Film Development Corporation (KSFDC) to undergo renovation this year.The air-conditioned theatre now has two sections - a balcony with 144 seats and 360 seats in ‘reserved’ section. The number of seats will come down after renovation as bigger seats would be installed. The balcony will have 22-inch luxury seats and a more cooler hall with split air-conditioners.The renovation is expected to cost around Rs 50 lakh and the new-look theatre will be ready as a real releasing centre before the next Onam season.