DUS ka tees.. dus ka TEES

"After school to cinema" (All sin tan cos)... Once this use to be my powerful tantra to keep an important Quadrant mantra locked-up in my mind.

Movies.. films!! Such was the place celluloid had in my life.. that one may skip anything but not this.

Now after time has traveled so many years, I don’t need this trigonometry formula anymore...

“School” got substituted by college and then college got replaced to office... only thing which is still holds good in this four-word cliche is CINEMA...

Yes.. I am movie-lover, not the first day first show types but surely a religious follower.

Some time back I happened to watch a film in "Urvashi"... an old traditional-style single-screen talkies, still afloat in the heart of Bangalore city.. and believe me it was such a rejuvenating experience.

Rejuvenating?? Yes you read it rite..

Since past few years, it so happened that I have watched flicks only in multiplexes... the transition I hardly ever minded. It wasn't intentional... but you no more see conventional cinema halls these days... moreover multiplexes enable online bookings, home delivery of tickets and loyalty or cash-back offers. You easily fall for them.

So after long, when I happened to be at this place, I just loved it..

Enfeebled memories got revived...

What a delight it use to be movie watching before we got tuned to "multiplexed" philosophy.

Planning for movie (as if one does for live concert), rushing to the hall well in advance, pandemonium that sets off when the booking counter opens, waiting in queue for the tickets...

Though one has to be prepared to face other part of this thrill.... Walls stained with betel-juice, reeking staircases, jam-packed auditoriums, creaking seats in balcony and even more creaking ones in stalls, air-conditioners functioning well to keep you sweating warm, crackling sound effects of Dolby technology, decayed interiors..

I know I know this "other" part wasn't amusing at all... Multiplexes ensure far superior movie viewing in most of the aspects... but having said that I still miss the charm of primitive silver screens..

Large painted film hoardings (not just outside the theatres but across the city), huge auditoriums with seating capacity ranging from 300 to 1,000... charged up crowd clapping and whistling over every dialogue... what an uproar over the entry of our heartthrob hero and heroine in the film... every damn stunt would further electrify the ambience.

Recurring screams and commentary over even insignificant scenes make very bit of movie appealing... at times aid u to catch on an unintentional comedy or subtle intensity of the moment.

I can so well recall.... when I went to see "THE mummy"... and just when horrifying mummy emerged on the screen... somebody from behind remarked "Baap re baap mummy aisi hai toh papa kaise honge"... what a comic timing... I was almost rolling over the floor laughing.

Also earlier, picture halls use to show snapshots of forthcoming films during intermission and before the start of the film... this concept seems to be missing nowadays... Ya we see enough of them on television... but those trailers are mostly abbreviated versions.

And during recess... coke, chips, pop-corns use to come self walking, nicely displayed on the tray... you don't have to be in long queue (and still pay triple for the same stuff)... meanwhile missing some part of the show.

In comparison, multiplex culture is about ultra civilized janta, carrying high sense of decorum & loads of fashionable attitude.... While maintaining their status they appear so murky.. lifeless.

They are there ONLY to watch the movie. That is it... Not to gab about whatever the hell.... They backpack all their feedback and issues to coffee house or lounge... So at the best, few suppressed whispers or a muffled giggles is what keep you reminding... nothing to fear... you are not alone!!... If not interval cast away the darkness of auditorium, you may not realize whether the show is houseful!!

Upgraded acoustics, Dolby X Processors, 3D effects and elector-voice processors for the speakers, bigger seats and more leg space, and many other facilities and gloss... succeeds in making whole experience really comfortable... but fail to match the jollity & liveliness of old times.

Painful to say.. which is worse?... dismal infrastructure or varnished enthusiasm of the people!

In the words of Javed Akhtar, “Cinema wo hai jiska ticket black mein bikta hai”.... But black ticketing is rare these days... Single screen playhouses split-up into smaller multi-screen halls... hence no jumping over one another... one conveniently get the tickets.

You don't seem to be convinced I guess... Why don’t u guys check this out for yourself.. trust me.. you wont be disappointed.

For who knows if I continue more.. nostalgic me might start discussing out-dated audio cassettes and floppy disks.. good! am signing off.