Madras Day 2026: The glorious past of Chennai’s Shanti Theatre

Today, when we cross Anna Salai in Chennai, we think of traffic, deadlines, and the rush to work. But for many in the city, the same road carries a different set of memories. There was a time when a theatre called Shanti stood here, attracting generations of moviegoers. The theatre became such a landmark that its name spilled beyond its walls and screens, and a bus stop nearby came to be known as Shanti.

The theatre was built by G. Umapathy and D. Shanmuga Raja, the erstwhile Raja of Sivaganga, and was opened in January 1961 by then Chief Minister K. Kamaraj. The inaugural show was Srinivasa Kalyanam, while the first film to be screened at the theatre was Thooya Ullam, starring Akkineni Nageswara Rao and Savitri.

According to an article published in The Hindu on January 13, 1961, the theatre, which cost ₹20 lakh, had a seating capacity of 1,200. C. Subramaniam, the then Finance Minister, who presided over its inauguration in 1961, said putting up a fine modern theatre was not sufficient. They should produce the right type of pictures that would entertain and educate the people without corrupting their minds, he said.

The theatre was later bought by legendary actor Sivaji Ganesan. “The promoters needed a fresh infusion of funds. They then approached Sivaji Ganesan, who invested in the theatre and eventually bought the shares,” said actor and writer Mohan Raman.

“When it opened, it was the largest single-screen theatre. It had the biggest balcony at the time, with nearly 400 seats. It was fully air-conditioned, and the car parking facility was very good. I would say it had a lavish car park. Everything about this theatre was good,” said film industry analyst Sreedhar Pillai.

More than 80 films starring Sivaji Ganesan found their way to the Shanti screen and many hit a 100-day run. The theatre has also screened films such as Gone with the Wind, Ivanhoe, and Drums of Destiny. In 2005, the theatre was renovated and began its new chapter with the film Chandramukhi, starring Rajinikanth and Prabhu, the youngest son of actor Sivaji Ganesan. The film ran for 888 days in the theatre, a record those days.

Ramkumar Ganesan, the eldest son of actor Sivaji Ganesan, recollected fond memories of the theatre, and said: “I remember attending the premiere of Karnan (starring his father). And whenever a Sivaji Ganesan film was released, I used to be among the first to buy tickets, often choosing seats in A row seat numbers 1-10.” “I also attended many celebrations there. There is one photograph from the time a South East Asian delegation visited the theatre. All the popular actors of the time, including M.G. Ramachandran, attended the event,” he reminisced. The theatre has now become a prime office space housing multinational firms,” he added.

The curtains eventually came down on Shanti Theatre, making way for a real estate development that transformed the spot that once echoed with whistles, applause, and film songs into a sprawling office complex.