Chennai’s iconic Albert Theatre in Egmore, which is over 31 years old, was briefly sealed for a few hours by the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) on Thursday, March 31, citing non-payment of property and entertainment taxes. The theatre owed property taxes to the tune of about Rs 51 lakh, and Rs 14 lakh worth pending entertainment tax. However, hours after it was shut by the GCC, the theatre managed to pay off its pending taxes. Following this, it was unsealed.
The Chennai corporation, in its notice to Albert Theatre, had said that it was prepared to unseal the theatre when it paid its dues. Hours later, that was the scenario that played out. The civic body had pasted a notice regarding the same on the entrance of the theatre. In it, the GCC stated that “as the owner/user of the building has failed to pay the property tax payable to the Chennai Corporation, japti action has been initiated as per the Chennai City Municipal Corporation Act, 1919”.
The Albert theatre complex with two theatres – Albert and Baby Albert – was opened on October 24, 1984 by one S Albert, who is the Managing Director of the theatre. The theatre had initially played only Hindi films. According to reports, Aaj Ki Awaaz and Kaamchor were the first two films that were screened here. However, things changed later and the theatre was even seen as the stronghold of Tamil icon Rajinikanth, with the theatre running his films the maximum number of days.