Cinema is woven into the fabric of Chennai’s cultural memory. From romance, longing and movie-inspired moments on the city’s beaches to the dramatic shift from celluloid reels to digital projection, Chennai’s relationship with the big screen has constantly evolved. At the heart of that journey are theatres that became landmarks in their own right, including Royapettah’s Pilot Theatre. Episode 4 of Chennai Canvas, for Madras Week, revisits these spaces, memories and technological changes to explore why, for generations of Chennai residents, the city and cinema have been inseparable.Updated - August 25, 2026 10:05 pm IST
Chennai Canvas: Madras Week Episode 4 | How cinema became part of Chennai
Cinema is woven into the fabric of Chennai’s cultural memory. From romance, longing and movie-inspired moments on the city’s beaches to the dramatic shift from celluloid reels to digital projection, Chennai’s relationship with the big screen has constantly evolved. At the heart of that journey are theatres that became landmarks in their own right, including Royapettah’s Pilot Theatre. Episode 4 of Chennai Canvas, for Madras Week, revisits these spaces, memories and technological changes to explore why, for generations of Chennai residents, the city and cinema have been inseparable.
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