My love for Madras comes from the way cinema shaped and still shapes my life. A movie buff from when I was perhaps three years old, I’ve been glued to my city’s film roots.
The motion picture industry in the South kickstarted in Madras, where stalwarts of Telugu cinema, such as NT Rama Rao, SV Ranga Rao, and A Nageswara Rao, also made their debuts.
From black and white to colour, the four South Indian film industries ran from the studios in Madras, some of which have now become apartments, malls, and marriage halls.
The cinema I was exposed to in my household, was a wonderful mélange of languages and cultures. This taught me about varied geographical and cultural diversities in the South.
Theatres like Casino and Pilot stuck in my mind as movie halls that were off-limits to me for a long time, as only people aged 21 and older would attend those Bond movie night shows.
Around two decades ago, the now-defunct Safire Theatre would screen Malayalam films initially without dubbing or subtitles. But one could understand and appreciate the story.
As Chennai celebrates its 384th birthday today, I must say that these movie halls continue to define its localities for me. I’m quite sure I wouldn’t need a Google map to find my way.