A building that the city would not let go

Commissioned by Parsi businessman Shiavax Cawasji Cambata in 1935 and designed by architect Sohrabji Bhedwar, the Eros Cinema opened to the public on 10 February 1938. Inspired by a statue of Eros Cambata found in Piccadilly, London, the building he created in Bombay was widely considered even more striking.

Described in Bombay decoration The epitome of design, style and finish at the time, Eros was once the most glamorous film address in the city, screening English films and attracting students from nearby universities such as Jai Hind, Sydenham, KC and HR.

Its decline, said Akshat Gupta of Metro Realty Group, who, along with partner Atul Rawat, signed a 30-year lease with the Cumbata family, began in the 1990s, with the decline of single-screen theaters and years of gradual functional changes. Then, a few years ago, when a green curtain was raised around the Eros Theater for its restoration, it triggered an unexpected rush of emotions in Mumbaikars. The fear, as many expressed then, was not change, but elimination.

Gupta remembers that moment clearly. “We were informed through calls and messages, not only from friends and citizens, but also from the ministers’ offices,” he said. “We had to clarify that we were not going to demolish the building, but rather restore it.”

What that episode revealed, Gupta believes, is the sense of collective ownership associated with milestones like Eros. “Buildings like these don’t belong to one person. They belong to the entire city,” he said.

Metro Realty Group’s restoration work began in 2019 with conservation architect Kirtida Unwalla, guided by extensive photographic documentation of the building. “Wherever something needed to be replaced or added, we made sure it stayed within the Art Deco language, whether it was lighting or detailing,” Gupta said.

The broader vision, he added, was to turn the site back into an entertainment hub. “Today, with an estimated 1.7 to 2 million people crossing the crossing daily, the building is located at one of the busiest human intersections in south Mumbai,” he said, adding that the building is slowly falling apart.

“Swadesh set the tone. Everything that has happened since then has only added to it. People often stop to tell us how happy they are to see the building lit up again, especially at night.”

Eros, re-entry into public life

Eros reopened its doors to the public in February 2024, when the original 1,200-seat single-screen cinema was reborn as a 305-seat IMAX cinema on the second floor, operated by PVR Inox. Around it, the building has gradually begun to fill in again, repositioning the Art Deco structure, in Gupta’s words, as an “entertainment magnet,” drawing moviegoers along with dining, retail and cultural spaces.

Swadesh, a retail destination featuring handmade luxury products curated by Nita Ambani, along with an intimate NMACC Theater Café, opened early last year. In July, the building became home to the Indian debut of Wagamama, a 136-seat outpost of the global ramen chain. Poems from Love & Cheesecake and Coffee Island followed, quietly generating a steady footfall.

In February, The Rameshwaram Cafe will add to this evolving mix, occupying nearly 8,000 square feet in a stand-up quick-service restaurant on the ground floor and a family-friendly dining space on the first floor.

“We were looking for a space in Mumbai for almost two years, from Juhu to Bandra, Ghatkopar to Borivali,” said Raghavendra Rao, who co-founded the restaurant chain with his wife, chartered accountant Divya, in 2021.

“About a year ago, when we saw the Eros building, we knew we had found it.”

“For us, South Indian culture and heritage are fundamental. When you bring that to a space like Eros, which is itself a heritage structure, the two add value to each other,” he said. Location, he added, played a crucial role.

“Mantralaya is nearby, Marine Drive is nearby, this is a tourist destination and Swadesh is right next door. People are already flocking to this neighbourhood.” The cafeteria plans to operate from 5 am to 2 to 3 am

It was a similar instinct that led chefs Dhriti Mankame and Mehul ‘Sabby’ Sabharwal to choose the building for Hearth, their debut restaurant. The duo spent over a year looking for a space, mostly in Bandra.

“Dhriti had become our unofficial go-between for Bandra,” joked Sabharwal. “We had almost given up on the day our agent brought us here. The moment we walked in, we both knew that was it.”

Chefs Mehul ‘Sabby’ Sabharwal and Dhriti Mankame, founders of Hearth (Express Photo).

The restaurant occupies a corner with two balconies overlooking the street. “There’s a strong character to the space,” Mankame said. “Being a heritage property, we could try to redefine it or adopt it, and we decided to accept it.” The restaurant retains several original elements, including the wavy curved design and exposed iron bars that form part of the building’s structure.

Chefs also attribute improved connectivity to renewed interest in south Mumbai. “There was a time when traveling here felt like a hike,” Sabharwal said. “But the coastal highway has changed that.”

The duo also thanked Metro Realty for opening the space. “They have allowed restaurateurs to shape the dining spaces within the structure.” Mankame added that accessibility was crucial not only for guests but also for staff. “Churchgate station is right opposite, the tube is just a short walk away and the Coastal Road links it all together. It has made this part of the city more accessible than ever.”

Within Swadesh, the 23-seat NMACC Theater Café designed by architect Ashiesh Shah has become a quieter cultural anchor within the building. Calling Churchgate “the true center of the city’s nostalgia and keeper of the cultural memory of old Mumbai”, a spokesperson said the neighborhood felt instinctive when the cafe expanded beyond the Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Center in BKC.

The 23-seat NMACC Theater Café (Express Photo).

“With its Art Deco heritage and old-world charm, the building complements our vision of bringing to life the diverse tastes of India through a new lens,” they said. Within a month of launching, the cafe, the spokesperson said, had already built a loyal following, with guests returning for familiar comfort dishes.

‘A milestone that every Mumbaikar recognizes’

For K Hospitality Corp, which brought Wagamama to India, Churchgate was an obvious choice for the brand’s flagship outlet. “When we were identifying the ideal location for Wagamama’s first restaurant in India, the Eros/Cambata building immediately stood out,” said Vivek Raghunath, chief commercial officer, Wagamama India. “It is a landmark that every Mumbaikar recognizes, with history, visibility and charm.”

He added that the demographics of South Mumbai played a role. “This neighborhood has a high concentration of well-travelled and globally exposed residents. Many already had a strong brand memory,” he said, adding: “The Cambata building itself is witnessing a renaissance. The presence of brands like Swadesh reinforces Churchgate’s position as a prestigious destination. Being here is not just about geography, but brand stature.”

Next up is a 3,500-square-foot fine-dining restaurant on the second floor, the brainchild of the team behind the all-day cafe and bakery, Poetry by Love and Cheesecake. Confirming the development, chef and co-founder Amit Sharma said: “We are currently building the space. It will seat 40 people and is expected to open in April, although the name and kitchen are still being finalised.”

Architect Nikhil Mahasur of Walkitecture, who runs walking tours of the city, believes the building’s design is central to its renewed appeal. “It is one of the most beautiful Art Deco buildings in Mumbai. It is a landmark and its architectural value is immense,” he said.

Despite its broad horizontal base, Eros appears imposing. “The light cream façade is contrasted with red sandstone from Agra, repeated in ornamental details that accentuate the building. The stepped ziggurat tower rising into the sky makes the building appear taller than it is.”

Mahasur recalls the theater’s former reputation as the city’s most elegant cinema, and even hosted Alfred Hitchcock for a premiere in the 1950s. “Its resurrection was long overdue,” he said, noting that Bombay has always gravitated toward long facades.

“Now that the V-shaped Cumbatá building has opened again with its large façade, restaurants want to take advantage of it and people are returning to it.”

What is unfolding at the Cumbata Building is not a dramatic reinvention, but a gradual re-entry into public life, one film, one meal, one night at a time. As the lights come on each night and the trails fill once again, Eros is not only reclaiming its place, it is quietly resuming its role as the neighborhood’s anchor: familiar and open to what comes next.