Movie Mahal

Since 2022 we’ve been working with Shree Ram Mandir in Sparkbrook on a series of Sunday afternoon film screenings, enabling the building to revisit its past life as a cinema.

The Waldorf screened films on Walford Road from 1913 to 1983, and for its last chapter was managed by the Randhawa family – movie obsessives who welcomed a number of South Asian stars and directors over to Birmingham.

Now Sima Gonsai and Joseph Potts have made a short documentary about the Randhawas, about the role that the Waldorf played in the local community, and about how film can get under our skin.

We’re delighted to present the film’s world premiere at the place where it all started, alongside a selection of classic movie clips.

The afternoon will include a very special live performance by The Te3nagers, a trio made up of Chirag Pehchaan, Apna Sangeet and Amarjit Sidhu who will sing a selection of Hindi, Punjabi and Gujarati music.

Presented in association with Birmingham Museums Trust and Birmingham Indian Film Festival