18 Years of Mani Square: How This Kolkata Mall Became Part of Our Lives
Photo by Sanchita chatterjee If you grew up in Kolkata after 2008, chances are your memories have a Mani Square chapter. First movie date at PVR? Midnight sale at Westside? Dragging parents to Shoppers Stop for Durga Puja shopping? On June 15, 2026, the mall that hosted all these moments turned 18. Monday’s anniversary wasn’t just about a cake-cutting ceremony with CEO Sanjay Jhunjhunwala and Director Sudarshana Gangulee. It was about a building that quietly became part of Kolkata’s daily life. When Mani Square opened in 2008, malls were still a new concept here. Today, it’s hard to imagine EM Bypass without it. Ask any Salt Lake or Phoolbagan resident. For them, Mani Square meant not having to travel to South City for brands like Westside or Spencer’s. It meant teenagers finally had a hangout spot with multiplex, food court, and shopping under one roof. For parents, it meant AC comfort during Kolkata’s brutal summers and a safe place for kids. The mall’s management calls i...