Under a moonlit sky, a young Ashwath Naganathan watched Tamil film Duet in 1994 with his family at Chennai’s Prarthana Beach Drive-In theatre. When Kadri Gopalnath’s saxophone tunes from this musical did not punctuate the night air, Ashwath could hear the waves of the sea in the not-so-distant background.
“We were a big group and went in two cars,” he says, recalling a nearly three decades’ old experience like it was just yesterday. Subsequently, Ashwath has watched more than 25 films there, including hits like Indian, Mudhalvan and Vasoolraja MBBS. “We have a deep emotional connect with this place.”
Ashwath, now a music composer in the film industry, is yet to get over the recent news that Prarthana Drive-In is shutting down to make way for ultra luxury villas by Baashyam Constructions. Established in 1991 by N Devanathan, Prarthana Beach Drive-In, located on East Coast Road, was a favourite among movie-goers for its family-friendly atmosphere and pictureseque surroundings. It however was not functional in the last few years.
