Long before multiplexes lit up Indian cities, Parsi entrepreneurs in Madras were quietly building the foundation of Tamil cinema culture. From the mid-1910s onward, Parsis not only settled in the city but came to dominate the theatre business, running most of the iconic single-screen cinemas that defined generations of movie-watching.

Names like Gaiety, Elphinstone, and Globe were more than just movie halls - they were cultural landmarks run by Parsi families with a deep love for performance, technology, and storytelling. Their ventures weren’t limited to film projection alone; they often doubled as spaces for stage plays, music shows, and public gatherings, making them true community hubs.

This legacy is a lesser-known but vital chapter in both South Indian film history and the story of the Parsi diaspora's influence on modern Indian culture. Though many of these theatres no longer exist, their contribution to shaping cinema in Madras - now Chennai - remains etched in the city's cultural memory.