- Old-world charm - Shimla has lost some of its old-world charm as the local population has grown and the town has sprawled over the hills, although the main street -- The Mall -- retains its colonial-era shopfronts.
In recent decades cinemagoers have drifted to out-of-town multiplexes with their air conditioning, surround sound and greater choice of films.
The trend has been replicated across the country, with hundreds of antiquated single-screen cinemas once catering to budget crowds closing their doors in recent years.
Only two Shimla cinemas were left by last year but when India went into a national coronavirus lockdown, the Ritz folded too.