Apsara Theatre was inaugurated on 8 August 1971 by Malayalam actors Prem Naseer and Sharada. The family-owned single screen theatre was founded by Thomman Joseph Kochupuraikal. With a 70 mm screen, at the time of its opening, Apsara was advertised as Kerala's largest air-conditioned theatre.[3] It was one of the few theaters in Kerala with more than 1000 seating capacity. The first movie to be screened at Apsara was Abhijatyam directed by A Vincent. Apsara was a family owned theatre. In May 2023, reports came out that Apsara theatre was facing closure due to some disagreement among the members of the family.[4] Also with the advent of multiplexes, it was not financially profitable to run single-screen theatres. On June 28, Apsara had its last show by screening the movie Thrishanku. It is one of the biggest theatres in Kerala and biggest single-screen theatre in Kozhikode.[5]
Following a one-year hiatus, the Apsara Theatre in Kozhikode is once again ready to welcome its audience.Listin Stephen's Magic Frames is the new owner of the theatre, which has been renamed Magic Frames Apsara. The 70mm theatre boasts 1013 seats, making it one of the biggest in Kerala. Magic Frames Apsara is coming back with new features, including sound systems.Mammootty starrer Turbo is the opening film of Magic Frames Apsara.[6]