The movie-going experience in the Madras of the early 1980s was largely centred around Mount Road. There were theatres in and around Poonamallee High Road too, and most new releases were watched on screens linked to these arterial roads.
Egmore, a thriving locality placed equidistant from these two veins of the city, did not have a theatre. And it all changed during the October of 1984 when the Albert complex was unveiled. Consisting of big-screen Albert and the smaller Baby Albert, the venue became a matter of pride for those living in the area, and they referred it to as namma (our) theatre.
A haven for moviegoers
Being new, the theatre had that contemporary vibe, and the technical aspects were smooth. Close to Egmore railway station, the hall was easy to access, thanks to suburban trains. College students using the Beach-Tambaram line could hop onto a train, get off at Egmore, grab a bite at Impala, and walk to Albert to catch the latest flick.
And for those catching long-distance trains and with time to kill, the theatre offered an air-conditioned refuge. A movie would be relished, and for the thirsty, the nearby watering holes on Kennet Lane came in handy. Later, overnight trains would be caught, or those private buses to southern Tamil Nadu.
