Andhra has largest number of movie theatres in India; Telangana ranks 5th

Amaravati: From the oldest ‘Lava Kusa’ to the present superhit ‘RRR,’ the people of Andhra Pradesh love movies, and they celebrate the release of their favourite hero’s movie like a festival. An interesting fact about Andhra Pradesh is that it has the highest number of movie theatres in India.

According to the study by India in Pixels shared on Twitter, Andhra Pradesh has the highest number of theatres 1,097. In India, there are a total of 6,877 theatres, and among all states, Andhra Pradesh stands at the top. After AP is Tamil Nadu with 943 theatres, Karnataka with 719, Maharashtra with 703, and Telangana with 485 theatres.

According to sources, Andhra Pradesh once had around 2,000 theatres but the number has declined. While single screens were the most famous in the old days, the first Inox came to Vijayawada for both Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.

First permanent theatre in Vijayawada

Single-screen theatres were famous before Inox and multiplex theatres. Currently, Vijayawada has around 43 movie theatres.

Maruthi Talkies, constructed in 1921 by Pothina brothers Srinivasa Rao and Ganapati Rao Patrudu, was the first permanent theatre in Vijayawada and screened films right from the silent era. In those days, the ticket price was 16 paisa (one-sixteenth of a rupee). Maruthi Talkies was the only movie hall that met the requirements of film enthusiasts in the early 1920s until the development of new halls in the Two Town area of the city in the late 1920s and early 1930s. Balcony tickets was Rs. 1.50 in the 1940s.

The cinema screened the first Telugu colour film ‘Lava Kusa’ (1963), a mythological film starring N.T. Rama Rao. The first film of the Telugu star, Shobhan Babu, ‘Veerabhimanyu’ (1965) released here. This theatre screened many hit films over the years, but finally lost the battle of the single-screen cinema and was demolished to make way for a residential or commercial complex like so many other cinemas all over the country.

Oldest theatres in Vizag

Visakhapatnam has around 50 theatres, and some of the oldest theatres in Andhra Pradesh are still functioning. The vintage theatres in the city hold great memories for many. From Poorna theatre to Jagadamba, there are more than 15 vintage theatres. While some of them are closed, a few are still most famous.

Theatres such as Jagadamba, Chitralaya, Leelamahal, Sangam Sarat, and Sri Venkateswara are the most preferred theatres for youth who want to watch their favourite actor’s movies.

From Anand to Maheshwari and Parameshwari:

Hyderabad has some of the oldest theatres, which are still a memory for many youth who spent their college/ working days in the city. From Anand theatre near Paradise to Maheshwari and Parameshwari in Kukktapally, there are some vintage theatres in Hyderabad. While some of them were closed, few still remain the same.

Odeon 70 mm, Odeon Deluxe and Mini Odeon, three theatres at RTC crossroads had been a entertainment hub and popular release centres for Telugu blockbusters for decades.