Cinema Theatres in Chennai

Chennai has a deep connection to cinema. As the home of Kollywood (the Tamil film industry), the city treats film releases as events, with fans gathering for first-day first-show celebrations complete with milk pouring, fireworks, and cutout unveilings. The theatre landscape ranges from state-of-the-art IMAX and Dolby Atmos multiplexes to beloved single-screen theatres that have hosted premieres for decades.

Sathyam on Thiru Vi Ka Road in Royapettah, run by PVR since 2018, is still the city's best-loved cinema. Chennai's IMAX screens are at PVR Palazzo in the Nexus Vijaya Mall in Vadapalani and at INOX Luxe in Phoenix MarketCity, Velachery, which opened as Jazz Cinemas Luxe and passed to INOX in 2022. Rohini Silver Screens in Koyambedu is where fans gather for the first shows of big Tamil releases. For the classic experience, Kasi in Ashok Nagar, Casino off Mount Road, and the Devi complex on Anna Salai still draw opening-weekend crowds, though the city has lost many old halls, among them Udhayam in Ashok Nagar, which closed in December 2024, and the Safire complex on Mount Road, which closed in 1994. Most theatres can be booked on BookMyShow, District, or the operator's own app, or at the counter.