The Movie theatre experience has changed from a multi-week successful run on single screens to weekend success across multiplexes. From the time people would smoke inside the theatre and even step out to their favourite tea shop during intervals to highly closed no concession experience. Have not seen the song and dance or throwing of coins during item numbers or aarti done of the stars because they played God and Goddesses in the movie.
The small single screen slowly kept getting out of the system, and the multiplexes multiplied. The movies released on multiple screens survived two weeks with decent runs and became the new hit. The print, sound quality, projection, and VFX technology enhanced the experience. However, there has been a shift in audiences preferring to watch movies on TV and over OTT platforms.
Movies, for me, have been more than entertainment. Some movie experiences are memorable life milestones. There was set timing, unlike today when you have a show starting every 30 minutes. The whole movie going needed planning, it was an event, the main event of that day. The first day- first show was a concept that many collegegoers religiously followed- at least when the movie featured their favourite stars. And the hero heroines were Hero Heroines- part of the fantasy. There were no behind-the-scenes that killed the fun and awe of watching the action.
My life is packed with such milestone movie experiences in the late seventies and early Eighties, when I was in high school or moved to college. What about you? I wonder why when I have seen so many movies in the last two decades, there is hardly a memorable experience.
FAMILY OUTING: Hare Rama Hare Krishna 1971
I saw Manoj Kumar’s ‘Hare Rama Hare Krishna’ on the only screen in Lansdowne, Garhwal. Movie outing was a family affair but a rare occurrence. Dev Anand’s movie was considered a safe bet for family viewing. The highlight was Zeenat Aman in the song Dum Maro Dum.
THE BUBBLE LOVE: BOBBY 1974
I was in class 4th or 5th when it was released. I saw it from the second row of Imperial Talkies, Paharganj, right next to my Uncle’s house. The movie, if I recall, was rated ‘A’. However, there were no checks on who saw the movie. one became a fan of Dimple Kapadia for a few years.
When we reached home, we were royally scolded and punished because we were missing without informing anyone. But my cousin, elder brother, and I kept the secret.
THE DIALOGUE LP: SHOLAY 1975
You could hear Sholay dialogues played in every community function event. In fact, we could recite the dialogue in sequence. Kitne Admee Theh, Saradr Maine Aapka Namak Kha Hai, Toh Tumarah Naam Kya Hai Basanti, all iconic dialogues that became part of life.
THE RELIGIOUS FEVER: JAI SANTOSHI MAA 1975
JAI SANTOSHI MAA took the smaller towns by storm. It ran for weeks; Women watched it multiple times and did aarti of the screen. I remember going for it with my mother and her friends, sitting in the woman’s section of Sharada Talkies in Gorakhpur market, Jabalpur.
STAR TREK: THE MOVIE FROM SCHOOL. 1979
At Kendriya Vidhyalay1- GCF Jabalpur, the students were taken to the sci-fi movie of its time- STAR TREK. We were packed onto buses and then entered in a 3 column to Sheela Talkies premises. The school did take students to a few more movies – but I fail to remember the titles.
FIRST BOND: THE SPY WHO LOVED ME 1980
The Spy who loved me was my first ever Bond movie. It hit Indian screens in the second half of 1980. I was unprepared for the start. In the beginning, Roger More jumps off the snow cliff and keeps falling for 2 minutes. I, the small-town Jabalpur teenager, gaped at the screen, wondering if the hero who had jumped with no apparent precaution and support would die. I was getting ready for a flashback story when suddenly the parachute opened, and I relaxed.
BROOKE SHIELDS ATTRACTION: BLUE LAGOON 1981
Who can forget Brook Shields, the heartthrob of many? Blue Lagoon, when first released, was rated ‘A’. I had just entered college, and as per the ID card still a few months from qualifying to watch it. One knew it was a bit easier to watch it at the Empire Talkies- not particular about who was buying a ticket or watching the movie. For Brooke Shields, we watched the movie more than a few times- and that too when we could hardly understand the dialogues, which were in English.
THE RISKY MOVIE: TEXAS DETOUR 1981
One bunked college to see it in the afternoon show, which was a safer show with fewer chances of meeting someone. It was rated ‘A’ and had a few shots that were the talk of the young crowd. It was an easy-to-follow movie; anyway, language was not a barrier, as sex needed no language. And trust me, there was equal fun in watching a movie that you were not supposed to watch and planning in such a way that you were not caught watching the movie.
LOVE IN AIR: LOVE STORY and EEK DUJE KE LIYE. 1981
The two movies were released within six months of each other. After watching ‘Love story, I became a big fan of Vijyeta Pandit. Her poster and pictures were on the walls, and I must have seen the movie Love Story 8-9 times. Looking back, it does seem silly.
While ‘Eek Duje ki leye’ became the trivia question at the ragging in Engineering college. The question was simple, who plays the role of Madhavi’s brother? And the person who knew the answer had no option but to slap his batchmates hard, or the senior would hit him, demonstrating how hard slaps are delivered.
COMEDY CROSSFIRE- BLAME IT ON RIO. 1984
I saw this movie twice. Once in 1984, when it was released in India and after many years on a VHS. The first time, I have a sketchy memory of the story. I was in the theatre not to see the movie but to have private time with someone in my life. We were in the couple balcony in Empire Talkies, the opera-styled twin-seat balconies with independent access. There was no better private space for young adults in Jabalpur.
This was also the day my elder brother decided to bunk college and watch the movie. In that Single screen theatre with a semi-circular structure with posters of coming shows, my brother and I came face to face. He caught me. But after the movie, I reached home earlier than him and told my mother that Bhai bunked college to see a movie. There was no reference to me being at the movie. So, when he came home, he was scolded for bunking college, and I stood innocently- denying I was at the movie. The argument- If I also bunked and watched the movie- would I be telling- won’t I plan with Bhai that no one knew. The argument held its ground, and I was saved while Bhai got an earful.
THE LAST MOVIE WITH FATHER: LAMHE 1992
I do not remember seeing many movies theatre with my father other than a few like Jai Santoshi Maa and Har Har Mahadev. So, Lamhe we saw in 1991 in Odeon in Connaught Place, Delhi, was a new experience. My wife, my father and I watched this uncomfortable storyline that I believe was much before its time. Today, it would have been a blockbuster, and it was the 10th biggest success of 1991 and did decent business abroad.
THE HAIRLINE FRACTURE: KAMOSHI 1996
My wife, my 4-year-old son and I went for the late-night show at PVR, Vasant Kunj, New Delhi. We reached a bit late when the hall was already darkened. While searching for the seat, my wife twisted her ankle. I spent most of the time outside pacifying my son, who had decided to cry. The next day as her ankle was swollen, we met the doctor to realise there was a hairline fracture.
NET-NET
I have seen many movies at the theatre. Some months as a family, we saw 4-5 movies, but they were just movies, pure entertainment- if I can use that term. As luck would have, nothing happened outside the movie that would make it a milestone, an episode remembered for something more than the movie.
How many of your movie outings have side memories to make them milestones and a memory which is more than the film?
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