No rebuilt Paradiso: Remembering Central Cinema

Central Cinema in Madurai caught fire on Friday (September 11, 2026) night, and before the fire engines could extinguish the flames, a major portion of the structure was destroyed. | Photo Credit: N. Thangarathinam Though Central Cinema, located in the heart of Madurai, was gutted by a fire on Friday (September 11, 2026), it remains an indelible landmark in the memories of the city’s moviegoers.On Friday evening, as Madurai was abuzz with preparations for the upcoming consecration ceremony of Sri Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple next week, Central Cinema, an abandoned theatre located just a short distance from the shrine, caught fire. Before the fire engines could extinguish the flames, a major portion of the structure was destroyed.For longtime cinema lovers residing in Madurai, Central’s demise will bring lingering grief. Founded nearly 85 years ago in 1939 by four friends — Santhanakrishna Konar, K. Nataraja Pillai, K.M.S. Govindasamy Pillai, and S.V.S. Subburama Iyer — the theatre went on to become an integral part of Madurai’s vibrant cinematic culture. The theatre was designed in the architectural style of Kolkata’s iconic Metro Cinema.Most of M.G.R.’s major films were released here. When his hit film Enga Veettu Pillai completed a 100-day run at the venue, M.G.R. visited the theatre, turning the entire city festive that day. Through the 1970s and 1980s, the venue served as the prime screening destination for most Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasan blockbusters. Kamal Haasan’s Sakalakala Vallavan achieved an extraordinary 175-day theatrical run here. In its heyday, the theatre accommodated 1,100 seats.Central’s decline began in the 1990s. As a single-screen theatre with aging amenities tucked inside a congested pocket of central Madurai, its popularity gradually waned. Eventually, fresh releases dwindled, giving way almost entirely to reruns of older films.In the latter half of the 2000s, when the industry shifted from traditional film reels to digital projection, Central persistently held on to analog projection. When all movies were released strictly in digital formats, the theatre — equipped solely with film projectors — relied exclusively on old classics. By the time it finally adopted digital technology, the momentum had long slipped away.Central has then joined the sorrowful lineage of Madurai’s once-vibrant, shuttered cinemas, including Imperial, New Cinema, Devi, Natana Complex, Shanthi, City Cinema, and the iconic Thangam — once celebrated as India’s largest cinema hall. When the fire broke out, a portion of the premises was being used as a godown while another served as a parking area.When the theatre was first built, fire safety regulations were stringent, prompting the founders to design ample peripheral clearance so a fire engine could circle the entire building. Ironically, after years of abandonment, it was ultimately devoured by fire — a tragic paradox.In Giuseppe Tornatore’s classic Cinema Paradiso, Ciccio Spaccafico rebuilds the charred cinema using football lottery winnings, bringing the beloved Paradiso back to life. But for Madurai’s Central Cinema, the curtains have come down for good; it will only live on in the memories of those who loved it. Published - September 12, 2026 08:12 pm IST