It’s curtains for on south India’s first cinema hall – Delite Theatre – on Variety Hall Road in Coimbatore. Work to demolish the theatre building began on Friday as a commercial complex would soon come up at the landmark site.
Originally known as the ‘Variety Hall’ cinema, it was established in 1914 by Samikannu Vincent, a pioneer on many fronts, and his brothers. Samikannu Vincent’s brothers had first tasted success in the ‘touring talkies’ (tent kottai) business, travelling across Coimbatore, Erode, the Nilgiris and Tiruppur. “Variety Hall Road got its name from the Variety Hall Talkies, now known as Delite Theatre,” pointed out Kongu region historian C. R. Elangovan.
Vincent was a visionary in setting up the theatre in a place known for its commercial significance in Coimbatore. Variety Hall was the first theatre to give out printed movie tickets using a pedal printing machine in the 1930s.
