Since the Lumiere brothers first showed their films in 1890s, the projection technology has evolved at a slow pace. Movies were shot on 35 mm film, and projectors cast them on white screen, the humble parda or vinyl screen in dark theatres.

The film reels were assembled from different cans. They were spliced with tape. After every show they were reversed. It was hard work. It was a mechanical past. There was a whir of analague projectors owing to the sprockets locking into their holes, and there was a beam of golden light overhead.

There was a shift to digital technology towards the end of the 20th century. It was a big shift from celluloid to digital. In the last 20 years, projection technology has changed faster than in the whole century before. Digital projectors were introduced around 1999. The resolution was 2K. A decade ago, 4K digital projectors were installed. They show brighter and sharper images. Old timers still feel the analogue projectors gave immersive experience. Though digital projection is faultless, it is synthetic and false. Since projected image is a reflected image, it is more soothing for the eyes.

In 2018, the first LED screen has appeared in partnership with Samsung at PVR in Delhi. It replaces projectors. It is a giant TV screen with high visual quality. It was launched in Korea in 2017. It is called Onyx screen. The LED screen is not affected by ambient lighting. You could view a movie in a non-darkened theatre. Each LED screen costs Rs. 7 crore.