Located in the Madan Zampa area, the Shri Deepak Open Air Theatre is an open-air venue that is more than 150 years old. Originally known as the Wankaner Theatre, it was built by Maharaja Ganpatrao Gaekwad and named after the Maharaja of Wankaner (Saurashtra) who inaugurated it. While the exact date of inauguration is not recorded, it is known that the theatre was rebuilt in 1954 by Maharaja Fatehsinhrao Gaekwad and renamed as Shri Deepak Open Air Theatre. It is believed that the theatre was constructed on the site of the former Madan Talav (lake), which may have been filled in before the theatre’s construction.
Back in the day, the theatre served as a common cultural center where many plays were staged, hosting Gujarati and Marathi programs. It also welcomed notable personalities such as Bollywood actor Dilip Kumar and singer Mukesh. In 1935, Charlie Chaplin was scheduled to perform at the theatre as part of the Diamond Jubilee Celebrations of Maharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad III’s reign, but the event was canceled due to Chaplin’s inability to travel to India because of his ailing mother.
Over the years, with the rise of modern closed theatres, the open-air theatre lost its charm and fell into disrepair. However, it was renovated and reopened in August 2015, with improvements to lighting, parking, and green rooms. Despite these upgrades, the theatre struggled to regain its former popularity and was rarely used. In July 2020, the Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC) demolished parts of the theatre, including the stairs and seating areas, to make way for a new town hall. This reflects the changing needs of the community and the declining use of the old theatre.
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