Pilot Theatre: The rise and fall of Chennai's once-modern cinema
For decades, residents of Royapettah and nearby neighbourhoods in Chennai associated an evening out with a visit to Pilot Theatre. Opened in November 1968, the 900-seat cinema was considered one of Madras's most modern entertainment venues, boasting a large screen, imported projection equipment, an elaborate sound system, and air-conditioning.
The theatre was built by P.A. Sanjivi, the founder of Pilot Pens in India. It was designed with Cinerama in mind, although technical delays meant that it initially used 70 mm projection. The first film screened was 'The Ballad of Cable Hogue'. Over the years, Pilot became a key part of the cinema circuit for people living in Royapettah, Triplicane, Mylapore, and T. Nagar.
Retired bank employee T.P. Gopal, now 72, lived in Triplicane in the late 1970s and early 1980s. He recalls that the cluster of theatres in the area made watching films an easy part of evenings with friends. "We were residents of Triplicane in those days, and it was considered a bachelor's paradise, with affordable messes for food, the seashore nearby and several theatres within two to three km," he said. For Gopal and his friends, Pilot was often a post-work, post-dinner destination. On one occasion, expecting a Tamil film, they sat through an English film thinking it was a trailer, only realising their mistake when the 'INTERMISSION' card appeared.
Film historian and actor Mohan V. Raman, who lived eight houses away from the theatre, recalled watching hundreds of films there. In a 2017 The Hindu article, he mentioned that he sometimes returned home during the interval and made it back for the second half.
The theatre was known for its comfort and technology. It featured cushioned tilt-back seats, generous legroom, a screen measuring 53 feet by 24½ feet, and an RCA sound system. Its air-conditioned projection booth was described as the first of its kind in the country. The broad-fronted building also had extensive parking, a landscaped compound with an underwater-lit lily pond, four main entrances, and two side gates. Initial advertisements highlighted its Cinerama capability and 70 mm projection.
In its later years, Pilot hosted the Chennai International Film Festival in 2003 and 2008. However, the theatre closed in mid-2014 and was demolished by February 2017 under court orders.
Pilot Theatre now serves as a reminder of a phase in Chennai's urban history when the cinema hall itself was part of the attraction. It evokes memories of evenings that began with dinner, friends, and sometimes an impulsive second show.
