On a regular evening in Chennai, after work, a small group gathers in a dimly lit room. There is no popcorn queue to pass, no pre-show advertisements to sit through, no pressure to silence phones, and no interval breaks to snack. Instead, the room gleams with pairs of eyes that keenly watch the screen. A room full of film enthusiasts.
Here, cinema doesn’t end with the credits. It starts conversations.
In certain parts of the city, a growing network of film clubs is shaping how people watch and engage with movies. From international cinema to independent voices, these spaces are less about passive viewing and more about participation — about pausing, probing, and piecing together meaning as a community.
More than just films
For Senthil Kumar, founding member of Madras Screening, the journey began over a decade ago on Facebook. “What started as a group of 10 people slowly became something more intentional,” he says. “We moved from Facebook to WhatsApp, and then thought why not meet in person as a community?”
At the time, such spaces were scarce in the city. What began as a casual meet-up grew into a structured monthly gathering, driven by the idea that people who love watching films should also have a space to talk about them.
Today, Madras Screening curates a mix of international cinema, consciously choosing films that “trigger something” — stories that invite contrast disagreement as much as appreciation. “People can like or dislike a film. The idea is to exchange perspectives,” Senthil notes.
The organisation works in collaboration. Each member gets to pick a theme, ensuring the selection doesn’t lean too heavily toward a single genre or worldview. The result is a diverse slate that moves across countries, styles, and sensibilities. Alongside this, their ‘Spotlight’ segment focuses on independent films and documentaries, often bringing filmmakers into the room. “It becomes a dialogue,” he says. “The audience gets to respond, and the filmmaker hears that response in real time.”
If Madras Screening thrives on collective curation, Cinema Rendezvous, founded by Shylaja Chetlur in 2012, is rooted in a deeply personal longing. “As a young girl, I was full of angst. The shows on television always spoke about actors, gossips, the impact of film on the audience, likes and dislikes, or about costumes, or personal interviews about actors’ lives, where I constantly had a desire to see how these things are created,” shares Shylaja
That curiosity led to the formation of a not-for-profit film club, built not just on viewing but on unpacking the craft and context of cinema. What began with 20 members soon grew into a whole community of over 100, spanning professionals, artistes, and cinephiles who wanted more than a theatre experience. “It’s not a social organisation, it’s an art appreciation space,” Shylaja clarifies.
Their sessions popularly called “dates” among the members, come with the tagline 'license to date'. “We are romancing cinema, romancing life,” she says. At Cinema Rendezvous, engagement takes many forms. In a segment called Personal Lens, members share films that have deeply influenced them, scenes that altered their perspective. On other occasions, the club hosts writing and performance sessions, where members present original pieces, opening a room for more discussions.
For Shylaja, the core lies in dialogues. “The best part is understanding various minority or majority viewpoints and coming to conclusions about it ourselves. That’s what our club does,” she says.
That openness extends to programming as well. The club is increasingly focusing on independent films that may have had limited theatrical runs but urges for discussions. Recent screenings include Oh Butterfly, with upcoming titles like Karmeni Selvam.
There is also a conscious effort to foreground diverse voices. “Women are at the helm here, so there is naturally more awareness of women’s perspectives,” she notes. But the space, she insists, accommodates all, from feminist readings to conversations on romance and marriage.
A post-pandemic shift
Both organisers observe a noticeable shift after the pandemic. Attendance has grown, but more importantly, so has participation. “People are looking for community. Younger audiences are showing up, and they are more active in discussions,” says Senthil. What begins as hesitation often gives way to freeness. “We introduce questions that encourage people to speak. Over time, the conversations become richer,” he adds.
For the members, the impact of these clubs go beyond entertainment. Exposure to diverse genres, filmmakers, and narratives gradually shapes how they see the world. “It improves film literacy. But more than that, it expands your worldview,” Senthil notes.
Shylaja takes it a step further. She believes cinema should be integrated into education itself. “I have very strong views that cinema should become part of the curriculum,” she says.
At their core, these clubs are not about niche cinephilia or exclusivity. They are about connection — between people, perspectives, and participation.
In a city known for its deep-rooted art culture, these intimate spaces are carving out a different kind of engagement. A film, a room full of people, and the willingness to talk as well as listen.