Movie theaters in Chennai

Multiplex Chennai

Chennai city's obsession with movies and moviedom dates back several decades. Large movie cutouts, largest number of theaters and celebrity filmstars - all this is representative of the role that movies play in the life of people. Chennai also boasts of being the first Indian city to have a beach drive-in theater that provides wholesome entertainment to all the members of a family in a totally different atmosphere. Old movie theaters are fast being replaced with modern multiplexes.

Given below is a guide to movie theaters in Chennai city right from the old ones to the most modern ones.

Gaiety theater: One of the oldest surviving theaters in Chennai, it was initially used as a horse stable in the colonial period and then converted into a theater in the year 1919. The theater initially screened silent movies in English and Tamil. This theater has won the President's Award for being one of the oldest existing theaters in the city. The theater has been renovated and has a seating capacity of 696.

Sathyam Cineplex: Sathyam Cineplex provides moviegoers a complete entertainment experience. The complex houses five theaters on the whole and each one of them is a class apart. All the five theaters are supported with DTS and Dolby digital formats, the sound system for the theaters are imported and the JBL speakers are worth a mention. Of the five theaters Sathyam has the largest seating capacity of 1250 seats, Santham has 550 seats, and Subham has 375 seats.

Sree Theater in this complex has a unique facility of Two-seaters for couples in its upper box class. Studio-5 another theater in this complex with 150 seats capacity and screens exclusive movies that are screened in film festivals. The theater offers a huge area dedicated for refreshments and a bowling alley too. The latest addition is a mini-theater 6-degrees.

Prarthana beach drive-in theater complex: Acclaimed to be India's first beach drive-in theater, Prarthana Theater is a movie theater with a difference. The theater has a restaurant and children play area and a giant screen. The ramp is designed to hold 160 cars and anybody sitting in the back seat can view the movie clearly. The complex also has a small air-conditioned theater that has a seating capacity of 350 seats. Five reservation counters are available across the city and two shows are screened everyday at 1900 and 2300hrs.

Mayajaal

A project developed by Pentamedia group, Mayajaal has 100,000sqft of total fun and frolic. The complex is centrally air-conditioned and has a 300-car parking facility. The complex has a variety of entertainment options to offer for people of all ages under one roof. The theater complex is India's first 6-theater Cineplex, with modern seating facilities. DTS sound systems are available in all the theaters. You can even get to see movies that find place in film festivals, in addition to run of the mill flicks. Hardly available in any other multiplex, this multiplex has a crèche for babies and professionally qualified nannies are available to take care of them.

Abirami mega mall

First cinema complex in India to go digital, Abirami complex houses four theaters in all. The complex is also equipped with a play area for kids and shopping mall. There are a number of restaurants that offer a variety of cuisines for the moviegoers.