End of an era as Sri Brinda theatre screens final show

In the dimly lit projection room of Sri Brinda Theatre — North Madras's first air-conditioned cinema — P Paneerselvam's eyes light up as he reminisces about his 40-year journey as the theatre's manager.
After four decades of entertaining moviegoers in North Chennai, the iconic theatre in Perambur screened its final show on Monday night with the Tamil film Dragon, marking the end of an era in city's cinema history.
The 1,170-seater theatre, which was North Madras's first AC cinema hall, witnessed Tamil cinema's evolution from the days of film reels to the digital era. "It's emotional to see this journey end," says Paneerselvam, who was associated with the theatre since 1985. "I joined ten days after it opened. I interacted with Rajinikanth, Kamal Haasan, and others," he recalls.
Sri Brinda Theatre, spread across 15 grounds, was founded by Loganathan Chettiar and inaugurated by actor Rajinikanth on April 14, 1985. It was popularly known as Rajini Theatre since it screened all of the superstar's films. The theatre opened with Udaya Geetham, starring Mohan and Lakshmi, and went on to showcase countless blockbusters, including Naan Sigappu Manidhan, Mappillai (which ran for 244 days), Pandiyan (174 days), and Annamalai (150 days).
"We've seen the transition from cinemascope to digital projection," recalls M. Kanakaraj, the theatre's 70-year-old operator, who served there for two decades. The first film he operated there was Priyamudan. The venue was particularly famous for its festive atmosphere during Rajini film releases, often running three shows a day.
The theatre's closure reflects the changing dynamics of movie exhibition in the digital age and the challenges faced by single-screen theatres.
"In our prime, we had a steady stream of viewers from all over North Chennai. The atmosphere during big releases was electric. Even the coffee in the canteen was famous until a decade ago," Paneerselvam reminisces.
Filmmaker and actor Chitra Lakshmanan shares his sentiments. "My movie Soorasamharam was released here. Back then, this was the most sought-after theatre in North Chennai. It is heartbreaking to see standalone theatres shutting down," he adds.