Suchitra Cinema and Cultural Academy and Suchitra Film Society at Banashankari in Bengaluru.
| Photo Credit: K. Bhagya Prakash
Bengaluru’s Suchitra Film Society has started a novel initiative to support cinema enthusiasts, filmmaking students, journalists, and art lovers. Anyone can watch a film of their choice through the society’s rich repertoire of foreign and Indian films, using the society’s equipment and the big screen.
This adds to the regular film screenings and discussions that take place at the society, which are exclusive to its members.
Speaking about the initiative, Vidyaranya B.S., an executive committee member of the film society, said this is being done to help film enthusiasts and cinema lovers access international films that are otherwise unavailable.
Even though they have not set a price for the screening yet, the society is planning to charge a nominal fee eventually, once it is up and running.
H.N. Narahari Rao, president of the society, said, “We have a rich collection of rare films, both foreign and Indian, in our digital library, and we want to make this accessible to anyone who wants to watch.”
Any person can approach the society to watch a film Rao says, “provided they inform us which movie they want to watch one day in advance. If a person wants to watch a film alone for research or for leisure, they can do it using a laptop available in society.”
“If someone wants to watch Satyajit Ray, Mrinal Sen, or P. Sheshadri classics, we can make it happen through our rich digital library,” Rao added.
With a 55-year legacy, Suchitra has long been a sought‑after venue for films that fall outside regular distribution networks. Started in 1971, the film society has been providing a platform for people to watch rare international and Indian films, discuss, and celebrate cinema.
Suchitra Cinema and Cultural Academy, a trust formed by the film society, also runs a cafe to complement the cinema-watching experience. Playwright and directorAbhishek Iyengar, who is also the treasurer of the Academy, said the cafe, managed by Vedic Chai, is for film lovers and has a curated menu. The place offers a basic Karnataka-style menu, including coffee and tea.
“Just like how people eat and have discussions about art at the cafe in Ranga Shankara, we also want people to come to the society, watch films, eat, discuss, and celebrate cinema at Suchitra Cafe. We have around 6,000 international and national films in our digital archives, with a dedicated space to watch them. People should make use of this library facility,” Iyengar said.
Published – February 23, 2026 12:08 pm IST
