South African Indian cinema doyen Moosa succumbs to heart attack
South African Indian cinema doyen Moosa Moosa, 75, succumbed to a heart attack on Sunday after undergoing surgery. In 2007, Moosa received South African Film and Television Industry Lifetime Achievement Award. Moosa earned the title of being the longest-serving cinema group executive globally, adding to the company's reputation of having the longest relationship with Hollywood production house 20th-Century Fox for almost eight decades now.
Avalon Group is the only Indian-owned cinema group in SA
Family and friends paid tributes to Moosa. He had taken over the family cinema business of Avalon Group, started by his father 79 years ago. Avalon Group was the first and still, only Indian-owned cinema group in South Africa after most of the 18 cinemas were shut down by the draconian apartheid-era laws restricting property ownership in city centers to the minority white community.
Moosa challenged the monopolies of white-owned national cinema, won battles
Undeterred by these draconian laws, Avalon Group continued with just one cinema in an area designated for Indians in Durban. Then, Moosa challenged the monopolies of white-owned major national cinema chains and won legal battles in the new democratic South Africa headed by President Nelson Mandela. Moosa then started rebuilding the business. Later, his son Aboobaker also joined the business as Chief Executive Officer.
Avalon Group has cinemas in three major South African cities
Currently, Avalon Group has cinemas in three major South African cities where new Bollywood releases play alongside Hollywood titles every week. "My father showed tenacity and strength in keeping alive the Avalon dream through the tough times," Aboobaker Moosa said in paying tribute to his father. "When many had already begun to write the company's obituary, my father's resolve never wavered," he added.
