Film studios in Chennai are a dying breed, discovers S Saraswathi.

Film studios in Chennai are no longer considered a commercially viable proposition. Today, the vast acres of land they occupy in the heart of the city have become valuable real estate.

Also, with advances in technology, sophisticated equipment and the limitless resources available to them, filmmakers today have the freedom of choosing to shoot almost anywhere in the world.

This has drastically affected the future of film studios. The decline in their popularity coupled with the rocketing land prices, has seen several film studios in Chennai shutting down.

Even some of the big names have been unable to survive.

The famous Gemini Studios, which was started in 1940 in Mount Road by S S Vasan was among the first to close down. It has been replaced by a huge shopping complex called Parson Manor and the 5-star deluxe hotel, The Park.

The Vijaya-Vahini Studio, considered to be the largest in Asia with 13 shooting floors, has given way to the VijayaHospital, the Vijaya Health Centre and also a restaurant.