The First A/C Cinema Theatre of Madras

As I have written a few times in my blog, Broadway, one of the oldest parts of the Original Madras, has many surprises. Many stories were known well once and forgotten in recent times. 

The first cinema theatre in Madras to get air-conditioned is located on Davidson Street, off-Broadway. It was started in 1916 CE. Unfortunately, the longest surviving cinema hall could not stay anymore. It was closed down last year (2021). We hardly recognize the early film industry in our flamboyant era of multiplexes located within the giant malls and OTTs. But, they are part of our heritage and history. A cinema hall completing one hundred years should ideally be celebrated by film enthusiasts and heritage enthusiasts alike. But....alas! it was let to die silently!

W.H. Murch repurposed the first floor of a warehouse building into a small theatre. Although it could accommodate only 650 people, it gave a unique experience to the movie-goers with a spacious open-air roof garden. This theatre, with an unusual but exciting layout, was named the National Cinema Theatre. 

Advertised as "the most up-to-date, coolest and comfortable theatre in the Presidency", the National Cinema Theatre was closed down in February 1917. In March 1918, it was reopened under a new name, "the Empire Cinema".

In 1934, the ownership was changed and renamed "Sri Jagan Mohan Gopala Krishna Cinema". Within one year, in 1935, again, it was sold off and got a new name - "Minerva". In 2007, it was bought by Batcha, a film distributor and an artist. It was renamed after him "Batcha Theatre".

People of Madras have known this theatre as Minerva for ages. It is said that Mr. Karunanidhi, the former CM of Tamil Nadu, had watched the "Parasakthi" movie multiple times at this theatre. The film's dialogue was penned by him, and the movie made the protagonist Sivaji Ganesan a superstar.

On 15th July 1949, it got air-condition. It was the first theatre in Madras city and in entire Madras Presidency to get air-conditioned. It is said that it was directly associated with a Hollywood production house to screen English films. "Tap Roots" was the movie that was on the show when the theatre got air-conditioned.

It is arguably the first theatre in the city to introduce noon shows. It was the first theatre in South India to be laid out on the first floor of the structure. It was followed by Rex theatre at Bangalore.

The theatre initially catered to European clientele and then to the laborers and rickshaw pullers... the historic cine hall which was there for about one hundred years....it is no more today! It's a lost glory - lost heritage.

Happy travelling.