Down Memory Lane - My Coimbatore. -
Bioscope in Coimbatore.

Many of the present generation would not have heard the word "Bioscope" which was common word during 1920-30. It is the word used for Cinema in those days. The first regular screening of movies in India started in the year 1900 by Royal Bioscope Company in Calcutta. Which was renamed as "Elphistone Bioscope in 1902. During this period many other Bioscope Companies cropped up in Calcutta, like London Bioscope Company, Imperial Bioscope Company, Globe trotter Bioscope, Bengal Bioscope so on and so forth. Madras' first Bioscope was opened in 1911 but it had a very short life of few months.

In South the name of Mr.Swamikannu Vincent of Coimbatore is enshrined in the History of cinema for posterity. Mr.Swamikannu Vincent, a draughtsman in South Indian Railways bought a projector from a Frenchman M. Du Pont in Tiruchirapalli for Rs.2000/=, and set up a Touring Cinema called "Edisons's Cinematography" in 1905 and became the first exhibitor in South. It seems he had taken his Touring Cinema all around the Country as far as Bombay, Peshawar, Lahore and even Rangoon, apart from many places in South like Madras and Trivandrum.

Mr.Swamikannu Vincent built the first permanent Theatre in South "Variety Hall" in 1914 on the Road leading to the Railway Station (old) now known by the same name in Coimbatore. Mr.Swamikannu generated Power for the theatre with two German Diesel Generators. He also set up first Electric Printing Press and Rice Mill to consume the surplus Electricity Generated. Then he got the permission from the Government to supply excess power to the Town. Thus Mr.Swamikannu Vincent became first to introduce Electricity to Coimbatore. He constructed another Cinema House "Swami Hall" on the same road which he renamed "Edison's theatre" later.I am not sure whether this theatre was the first built by Mr.Vincent! Another Theatre "Palace Talkies" was built by his son Mr.Paul Vincent near Ukkadam to show English Pictures.

Mr. Paul Vincent followed his father's foot steps and built a modern Cinema House in R.S.Puram called "Vincent's Light House" on D.B.Road in 1940s. In those days it was an artistic marvel. He used the famous Artist Shantaram of Central Studios Coimbatore to decorate the entire auditorium of the Theatre with huge bass reliefs and paintings with scenes from the epic "Sakuntalam". This made the Vincent's Light House an artistic wonder. Later on many other Theaters were built in the City, but none can be compared with the Light House in its beauty and elegance.

It was said that Mr.Vincent got himself interested in starting a cine Studio in Coimbatore with some other local entrepreneurs and started Coimbatore Central Studios.

In this Blog "Down memory lane" I intend writing memories of my native place Coimbatore, where I was born, bred-up and spent my best years of younger days.