The bygone movie theatres of Chennai: a compilation

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(from left) The Safire Theatre, Udhayam Theatre, Pilot Theatre in Chennai | Photo Credit: The Hindu

As Chennai city celebrates the 387 th anniversary of its founding this year (as Madras Day), The Hindu looks back at the city’s iconic cinema halls that reveal a rich tapestry of cultural history and changing urban landscapes. Long before the era of modern multiplexes and malls, single screens and theatre complexes served as the vibrant heartbeat of movie buffs in the city.

From the legendary Udhayam Theatre Complex in Ashok Nagar—hailed as the ultimate “collection king” and a premier first-day-first-show destination—to the architectural marvels of Safire Theatre on Mount Road that once defined the city’s cosmopolitan pulse, these spaces shaped generations of memories.

Though many of these historic landmarks including the Pilot Theatre at Royapettah and National Theatre at Virugambakkam have since given way to commercial/residential real estate and high-rises, revisiting their legacy offers a nostalgic and poignant glimpse into the golden age of moviegoing in Madras, reminding residents of the enduring cultural roots underlying Chennai’s rapid metropolitan transformation.

Their stories also mirror the city’s own transformation: neighbourhoods grew, audiences changed, technology altered the business of exhibition, and old cinema spaces gradually disappeared or were repurposed.

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