M adras Nalla Madras . This catchy number in the 1967 Nagesh-starrer Anubhavi Raja Anubhavi , which showed the comedian as a villager entering the big, booming city of Madras, had an unforgettable shot of the LIC office, then perhaps the tallest building in the city. For him, that was Madras — it symbolised grandeur. It was something he’d never imagined, never envisioned.
But when was the last time you saw the LIC building in a Tamil movie? That’s because Madras has become Chennai. Express Avenue and Phoenix Market City have replaced then-popular hangouts like Woodlands Drive-in and Panagal Park. Chennai certainly is booming and filmmakers are showcasing that to audiences. However, despite the entry of several exciting new places to shoot, a few locations in namma Chennai have stood the test of time:
Central Station
Factoid: The station was opened in 1873 with just four platforms. George Harding and Robert Chisholm are said to have played important roles in planning the architecture of this building.
In the movies: For several years now, a shot of Central Station was mandatory in Tamil films. It signalled the protagonist entering the city and gave the impetus to any story. But with a fresh crop of filmmakers in the last couple of decades, things have changed quite a bit. Today, this distinctive red building, built in Gothic and Romanesque styles, is mostly shown as a background in songs. The Vijay-directed period film, Madrassapatinam , showcased the vintage splendour of this building and its clock tower.
Napier Bridge
Factoid: In 1869, the then Governor of Madras, Francis Napier built this bridge that connected the entire stretch of the Marina to the Fort. It was later widened.
In the movies: This uniquely-designed bridge was always there; we used it to commute to the ‘town’. While Kamal Haasan’s scene in Mahaanadi is well-known among cinephiles, the bridge recently shot into prominence when Mani Ratnam canned an elaborate sequence in his Aayitha Ezhuthu , which was also made into Hindi as Yuva . After that, quite a number of filmmakers and short-film directors parked their equipment here in an effort to get their lead pair to romance near this beautiful old bridge.
Spencer Plaza
Factoid: Probably the oldest shopping mall in the city, this came up on the site of the original Spencer’s departmental store, a landmark of yesteryear Madras.
In the movies: If you were a teenager growing up in Chennai in the 1990s, listening to A.R. Rahman songs and watching Sachin Tendulkar play, Spencer Plaza was the only hangout. You could just stroll the corridors of the mall, taking in the sights and smells, or take a girl out for coffee or chaat . Perhaps that’s why director Shankar chose this location as a background prominently when, in his Boys , the young protagonists go around singing, Ennaku Oru Girlfriend Venumada . Despite the entry of new malls, Spencer is still in fashion — a few sequences of the upcoming Santhanam-Sethu-starrer Valeba Raja were shot here recently.
Marina Beach
Factoid: The Governor of Madras from 1881 to 1886, Sir Mountstuart Elphinstone Grant Duff, loved the beach and planned the promenade along it. He also named it the Madras Marina, which sticks till date.
In the movies: When has Marina not been shown in Tamil films? It always has been and will continue to be. For, the beach is not just a place to go to on a Sunday evening…it makes Chennai what it is. If in the 1960s, Sridhar almost shot an entire song for his Sumaithaangi here, present-day filmmakers have opted to shoot duets with the lead couples here; 7G Rainbow Colony and Naan Mahaan Alla being recent examples. But what takes the cake is Marina — no, not the beach but a Tamil film titled so! Director Pandiraj famously commented that ‘Marina beach was the hero of his film’ and chronicled the lives of the boys growing up there, selling sundal, bajji and watching the waves, and the numerous couples, go by.
Gemini Bridge
Factoid : Built in 1973 and the oldest flyover in the city, Anna Flyover is commonly known as Gemini Bridge because of the presence of the iconic Gemini Studios that stood here and was later demolished.
