Watch any film you want at Bengaluru’s Suchitra Film Society now

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.