Feng Shui for Single screen theatre

When one sailor benefits from Feng Shui, dozen of others call me. And when Feng Shui consultation turns out to be useful to a dentist, others seek Feng Shui. Reading an article I wrote three years ago, about the role Feng Shui played in the life of a family that owned a theatre, Rustom Kapadia (name changed on request), another man from show business, approached me about two years back.

The changing business scenario had adversely affected his business. His was an old world theatre and the new policies were working against him. Multiplexes were being given tax concessions and were eating into his business. Young consumers flush with easy money earned from call centers, financial institutions and other job opportunities, preferred to spend their money in posh multiplexes. Single screen theatres had become down-market.

Theatre Losing Money

“Our theatre is making losses. We have reduced staff and curbed our expenses but we find it difficult to survive. We have no other option except to sell the theatre to some builder and this is something we don’t want to do. Mine is the third generation in show business and it is a matter of pride for us to be in show business,” Rustom told me. He confessed with despair, “Twice, with much difficulty, I readied myself to sell, but both the times they backed out.”
Rustom was in his late sixties, carried himself very well despite his weight and certainly seemed proud about his filmy background. He talked proudly of the good old days when the women in his family would wear their best saris and attend the film premieres and watch the film stars.

Irani Restaurants

I always admire this kind of person; the kind who refuses to bend under pressure. I admire the last few owners of Irani restaurants with not-so- comfortable chairs and marble-topped tables, who have not yielded to the temptation of easy money being offered by the likes of McDonalds and Barista, Café Coffee Day and Brio. This might be because I have spent many comfortable hours in Irani restaurants like the Fountain restaurant at Flora Fountain, the Ideal Restaurant at Ghoga Street, another at Colaba Causeway and of course the two Kayani Restaurants; one at Dhobi Talao and the other near Kitab Mahal and Bastani Restaurant, also at Dhobi Talao. I am sure, with Feng Shui they can soar like the Phoenix again.

But I am digressing. This is the story about a theatre. It is not easy for an outsider to understand the pain of shutting down a decades-old theatre even if the theatre owner benefits by a few crores. The idea of settling abroad with big money, however attractive it might sound to an outsider, didn’t excite Rustom at all. “Would you suggest structural changes or demolitions in my theatre?” Rustom asked me bluntly. It seemed like an inquiry from a surgeon before amputation of a limb. I was equally frank and said, “ No, we will focus only on your office and your home and hope for the best.” Among the changes I suggested, besides adding a metal painting on his wall in the Career & Opportunities corner, were the Phoenix for his Fame & Glory corner and a waterfall for the Money corner. Of course, there were over two dozen other changes too and they all helped.

Theatre survives

Two months after the Feng Shui, Rustom Kapadia called me, “I think your Feng Shui is working. I have had two fresh offers to buy my theatre. Do you think I should sell? Or you think there is hope for my theatre to survive as it is?”
“Tell me honestly, how long can you resist?”
“Only few months more! These losses are eating into our savings.” Kapadia said. Though he didn’t say at that time, I learnt later that he was pushing profits he was making from his stationary shop of which he was partner into his theatre.
Finally, tide changed for him. HIS BELOVED THEATRE SURVIVED. And all this because a Bhojpuri film became a hit! “The demography of my location had changed over the years. There were more North Indians around and when a distributor hired my theatre for a Bhojpuri film I heard the sound of money. With hits like ‘Raja Bhojpuria` and `Ho Gail Ba Pyar Odhaniya Waali Se` and `Panditji Batayie Mera Byah Kab Hoi’ my theatre has survived the agni pariksha.
The punchline came when he told me that the producer of a Bhojpuri film didn’t make much money as his hero had acquired the rights for the Mumbai territory as his acting fee and the heroine took up UP rights as her remuneration, leaving only crumbs for him! And here is a rumour: The boom in Bhojpuri films is because Lalu Prasad Yadav is pumping a lot of money through his friends and relatives! “I will not have to sell my theatre to any builder!” exclaims Kapadia happily.

*****

Lock Out Lifted!

Even as I write this, I have received a message from another client of mine. The workers union that had forced a lock-out in his gold and jewellery manufacturing unit, has withdrawn the agitation on what he described as `very soft terms`.

Note: The right of privacy is sacred for me. The names of the people mentioned in the diary are usually changed to protect the identity of my clients. The real names are mentioned with the consent of people mentioned.The picture accompanying the article is only for representational purpose.

Write to Mohan Deep