As the hall fades to black, a blanket of anonymity descends.
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Watching a movie from the comfort of home has its advantages. The popcorn comes quick and fast from the kitchen without the hassle of waiting in long queues, and no rushed visits to the food kiosk and washroom during the interval.
At a simple press of the play button, the star-studded cast of the streaming movie patiently waits for you to refill your snack bowl before exploding into action again. But there is no doubt that some parts of the film-watching experience in cinemas simply can’t be replicated, no matter how big your home theatre is or how diverse your streaming platforms are.
During a recent visit to a cinema, the trailers flooded the screen before the film could begin. For some unearthly reason, much to the chagrin of the viewers, the trailers stretched to nearly half an hour. I observed in amusement that only in a cinema can the audience truly unite, as was illustrated by a loud chorus of “About time!” by the disgruntled viewers when the film started to roll at last. A similar bond is formed during those scattered peals of laughter at on-screen jokes, those collective rebukes when someone’s phone rings in the middle of the film, or even a good-natured, witty reply to a dialogue which earns appreciative laughter from the entire hall.
Another instance I witnessed recently that was a testament to the solidarity of the audience was the collective applause that resounded through the theatre at the end of a movie. Some viewers even shed tears at the ordeal the main character had gone through in the desert throughout the duration of the film. The audience felt obliged to congratulate the man on screen for surviving an arduous journey, whether or not he acknowledges the applause. The same held true for the remarkable feat of a group of scientists at the end of Mission Mangal, and for the heart-warming inclusivity shown in the concluding scenes of Kathal — The Core. One viewer begins a slow clap, and within seconds, the hall is engulfed in roaring applause as lights turn on.
What strikes me as truly fascinating is the fact that within the bright, sound-proof interiors of the cinema, we are simply people jostling to find seats and spilling popcorn in the aisles in our rush, strangers of unknown backgrounds.
But as the room fades to black, a blanket of anonymity descends upon the room. Only nameless silhouettes discern one another as an unspoken camaraderie is formed due to sheer proximity. A single movie seems to unite the hundred or so members like no motivational speaker can, which is something a solitary movie marathon at home doesn’t seem to facilitate.
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