Chennai: From screening Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasan blockbusters to the latest Bollywood releases, Theyagaraja Theatre in Thiruvanmiyur has been the hub for generations of Chennaiites for watching movies. Now, after decades as a neighbourhood landmark, the theatre is set to make way for a ₹500-crore mixed-use commercial development, bringing the curtain down on one of the city’s best-known single-screen cinemas.Opened in the 1980s on Lattice Bridge Road, the property will be redeveloped through a joint venture between BBCL, Vummidi Enterprises, and the Theyagaraja family. Speaking to TOI, Ananth Vummidi, managing director of BBCL, said, “We have signed a joint development agreement with the owners of Theyagaraja Theatre, a very old and reputed family. We are developing it into a world-class commercial project comprising retail, a theatre, office space and other components. The theatre property is about one acre; the development details are being finalised, and we expect to approach the authorities soon for approvals.”Sanjay Chugh, director (Chennai) at Anarock Group, said, “Most standalone theatres are located on prime land parcels in well-established parts of the city. As land values continue to appreciate, owners are increasingly opting for redevelopment to unlock the full potential of these properties. With the current development regulations allowing a higher floor space index (FSI), these ageing structures are likely to make way for modern multi-storey developments that are economically far more viable and better aligned with the city’s evolving real estate landscape.”Film producer and distributor G Dhananjayan said while many screens have come up across the city, helping the cinema business, the bigger challenge might be to bring back the audiences back to theatres.Tirupur Subramaniam, president of TN theatre owners and exhibitors’ association, welcomed the move. “Retaining a cinema within the project was preferred over converting the site for another purpose. Moviegoers will enjoy greater comfort and a superior audio-visual experience,” he said.Once a sprawling theatre that drew movie buffs from Adyar, Thiruvanmiyur and ECR, the venue was later converted into a multiplex under the SPI Cinemas and PVR brands. While many patrons appreciate the comfort of modern multiplexes, they say the nostalgia of standalone theatres is hard to replace.“I wanted to watch ‘Dhurandhar 2’ recently. Though modern multiplexes are more comfortable, we will miss the first-day, first-show memories associated with standalone theatres,” said Mohammed Raffique, a resident of Kottivakkam.
