Open-air cinema makes a comeback in Bengaluru, thanks to city's stellar weather

BENGALURU: The well-known pleasant weather of Bengaluru has brought back a nostalgic trend — open-air cinema. The city has become a hotspot for screening cult films under the sky. People unwind on bean bags, picnic mats and tablesetting with gourmet food and beverage to catch a classic film at rooftops and open-air venues like resto-bars and farmhouses.

Neha Agarwal (35), programme manager at Cisco India, watched actress Julia Roberts-starrer ‘Pretty Woman’ at 153 Biere Street in Whitefield recently with her friends.

“I have watched the film several times before. Watching movies on streaming platforms like Netflix has become routine. Watching the film under the stars with food and friends made for a new experience,” says Agarwal, who is planning to watch more such films in open-air soon.


Outdoor cinema company Lost The Plot has rolled into Bengaluru after Pune. It will be screening iconic Hollywood films ‘There’s Something About Mary’ and ‘Speed’ at The Farm House in Brookfield soon. On the same day, outdoor company Steppinout Movies will screen a film at VR Bengaluru in Whitefield. Under The Stars will get guests to watch Bollywood film ‘Dil Chahta Hai’ in Sarjapura.



Nikita Naiknavare, founder of Lost The Plot, attributes the importance of Bengaluru as a market to its weather that remains pleasant throughout the year unlike Delhi and Mumbai.

“It’s a multi-cultural city where movies from Hollywood and Bollywood and regional cinema will find an audience. The laidback activity of watching open-air cinema perfectly matches the mindset of the city. Moreover, regular cinema halls don’t offer alternative content like classics, world cinema, short films and documentaries. We want to fill that gap with a relaxed vibe and build a community,” says Naiknavare, who is exploring venue partnerships primarily in young localities like Whitefield, Koramangala and Indiranagar.

City-based outdoor movie company Steppinout Movies runs an online poll on its social media handles for followers to select a movie. The option with the highest votes gets screened.

“From about three films per year two years ago, we screen 7-8 films now. Popular age profile of our audience is 21-35 years. Idea is to utilise outdoor spaces and give people newer cinematic experiences with gourmet food and beverage,” says marketing head Sushen Kakkar.

On realising the potential of this segment, Delhi-based alternative movie distributors Sunset Cinema Club will soon set up India’s first open-air cinema. Bengaluru will see one in December at probably Koramangala or Whitefield.

“We didn’t struggle to sell tickets for our first event in Bengaluru which made us realise that this city needs a permanent open-air venue. Bengaluru as the startup hub of India has the perfect target audience for this kind of cinema. People here need a reason to step out and want experiences,” says cofounder Sahil Kapoor.