“Chalo, Metro mein jaate hain...?” asked a Dilliwallah friend midway during our conversation, while catching up recently after ages. “Of course!” I replied, excitedly. “So, should we board it from Ghatkopar or Versova?” he prodded. It’s when I realised that I was on the wrong track. Clearly, I had got it all mixed up. He was referring to the Mumbai Metro that completed a year, and was keen to compare how it fared against its Delhi counterpart.

It was an eye-opener to learn how the iconic Metro cinema was no longer on top of people’s minds, considering its long-time love affair with the movies. Forget the time when out-of-town cousins would insist on including it on their already-packed itineraries. We decided to dig up some research about its contribution to the city, today, which is exactly 77 years since it opened to the public. Small gratification, really.