West End Theatre - Movie and Dinner in Pune

In India movies are a way of life. Every family has a weekly outing to a local movie theater on the weekend to see the latest movie released on Friday. It is a time honored tradition with many families to see the movie together for the first time. If you happen to like it you may go back for a second or third viewing with different groups of friends.

So it stands to reason that the movie hall is a place where memories are made and shared. Usually followed by a family dinner in another nearby restaurant. It is one of those simple traditions which binds families together. Naturally each family has a preferred movie theater that they like to visit and a particular restaurant that they walk down to after the movie.

With the arrival of the multiplexes the unique and some what quirky differences between theaters has diminished. You no longer go to a particular place to enjoy the sweet corn soup served in a blue china cup. You get standard pop corn and colas in all the multiplexes. Perhaps it is for this reason that I am sentimental about West End Theater. A place where my parents and I have seen a number of movies down the years.

The place is run by an old Parsi Gentleman. A bit eccentric, but then all Parsis are. I should know, I'm married to one! The red seats and old snack menu are testimony to the fact that in its hey days this was THE place to be. It has lost the younger crowd to the multiplexes down the block but the old regulars still come here. The sound system is okay and of course you must sit in the balcony.

It is located on Moledina Road which is perpendicular to MG Road. In fact if you take the left turn after MG Road ends you will end up on Moledina Road and the second building on the left houses West End. You can watch your movie and then head down to eat Sizzlers at The Place which is located in the next building near Manney's Book Shop. Another old landmark in the city.