GAIETY - CITY'S OLDEST SURVIVING THEATRE

For more than eight decades now, Gaiety has been among the regular stops for Chennai filmgoers. Founded in 1919 by T.S.P.L.P. Chidambaram Chettiar, it was said to be a horse stable during the colonial period.

The President's award has been given to this theatre, for being the city's oldest surviving theatre. For a decade after its start, it screened the famous Tamil and English silent movies of its time. A successful transition from the era of the silent movies to talking movies established it in a niche of its own.

Mugaraasi starring MGR, Bommalaattam and Annakkili were some of the many films, which ran to packed halls, becoming jubilee hits.

Air-conditioning was introduced in 1983. The first film to be screened in the refurbished theatre was the Drunken Monkey.

With a capacity of 878 seats, the theatre was huge by past standards. After it was refurbished in 1983, the seating capacity was reduced to 696 to make it more comfortable.

Gaiety has not only screened feature films but also educational documentaries like the acclaimed wildlife documentary Beautiful People, which ran for 225 days.

Address : Gaiety, Mount Road Chennai-600 002
Phone: 853 5154

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