G7 Multiplex (Gaiety-Galaxy), Bandra, Mumbai, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Mumbai’s historic Gaiety-Galaxy cinema in Bandra has closed its doors amid a dispute over the cause, with police and the theatre’s operators offering different explanations.
Police said the closure followed non-renewal of the theatre’s operating licence and confirmed a case had been filed under Section 223 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita against operators.
Manoj Desai, the theatre’s executive director, said the real cause was burnt electrical cables, with replacements being arranged from Lohar Chawl in South Mumbai.
The theatre complex has been a Bandra landmark since 1972, one of the last of its generation of single-screen cinemas in the city.
No timeline has been set for reopening while the dispute and repairs are worked through.
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.
The theatre’s closure comes at a time when several older single-screen cinemas across Mumbai have faced increasing pressure from licensing and fire-safety compliance requirements.
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.
G7 Multiplex (Gaiety-Galaxy), Bandra, Mumbai, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
