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parsi theatre in old madras
sriram video sriramv 2025/06/23/the-parsis-who-once-ran-theatres-in-madras/
colonial_madras_-_the_parsi_theatre_connection pdf
Parsi theatre flourished in 19th and early 20th-century Madras (now Chennai), featuring lavish Hindi/Urdu musical productions in Esplanade tents, influencing local Tamil isai natakam with its melodrama, sets, and orchestra. Pioneered by troupes like Batliwala, the community later transitioned into owning iconic city cinemas, including Wellington, West End, and Eros.
Key Aspects of Parsi Theatre in Madras:
- Performance Venue & Style: Popular in the mid-19th century, shows were held in large tents at Esplanade maidan (near the High Court). They featured dramatic set changes, special effects, and popular songs, even though the Hindi/Urdu language was not understood locally.
- Cultural Impact: Parsi theatre bridged the gap between British theater and emerging local Tamil drama, with local troupes adopting Parsi-style proscenium stages and, sometimes, the "Parsi" label for prestige.
- Local Patronage: Performances were popular with local audiences and supported by elite patronage, including the Nawabs of Arcot.
- Transition to Cinema: Parsi entrepreneurs (e.g., J.F. Madan, Rustam Gi Dorab Gi) shifted from theatre to cinema, establishing early venues like the West End (later Midland) and influencing the city's, cinema landscape, including the Casino Theatre and Eros Cinema in Adyar.
Prominent Parsi-run cinemas in Madras included:
- Wellington & West End (Midland): Early 20th-century pioneers.
- Eros (Adyar): 1960s, later a wedding hall, now an auto showroom.
- Other influential, if not exclusively Parsi, venues: Gaiety, Crown, and Roxy.
pisode 4 - The Midland Theatre
Established in 1918 by Rustomji, a Parsi entrepreneur, the West End Theatre was one of the earliest cinema halls in Madras. It primarily showcased English films, catering to the city’s British expatriate community and elite Indian audience.
In the late 1940s, the theatre was acquired by A.K. Ramachandra Iyer, a respected patron of the arts. He renamed it Midland Theatrelate 1950s, under Ramachandra Iyer's management, Midland Theatre transitioned from English to Tamil films, aligning with the shifting tastes of Chennai’s growing local audience. In the 1980s, the theatre was purchased by noted actress and politician Jaya Prada, who renamed it Jaya Prada Theatre. It continued to operate under this name until the 2000s, when it ceased functioning as a cinema.
Established in 1918 by Rustomji, a Parsi entrepreneur, the West End Theatre was one of the earliest cinema halls in Madras. It primarily showcased English films, catering to the city’s British expatriate community and elite Indian audience.
In the late 1940s, the theatre was acquired by A.K. Ramachandra Iyer, a respected patron of the arts. He renamed it Midland Theatrelate 1950s, under Ramachandra Iyer's management, Midland Theatre transitioned from English to Tamil films, aligning with the shifting tastes of Chennai’s growing local audience. In the 1980s, the theatre was purchased by noted actress and politician Jaya Prada, who renamed it Jaya Prada Theatre. It continued to operate under this name until the 2000s, when it ceased functioning as a cinema.
Midland had nothing to do with the Wellington which was built in 1918. A.K. Ramachandran bought the plot in 1929 and built the Midland in 1931. It stayed in the family and passed on to his son and eventually to his granddaughters. It only became the Jayapradha on its sale in 1984. And yes the Leo was built in 1976 behind the cinema.
There was another smaller theatre in the same compound called Leo, in addition to Midland.
That became Theatre Raj after Rajbab
That became Theatre Raj after Rajbab
.