I recently read somewhere that a caged animal when let free does not immediately come to terms with its freedom. Some stay in the cage cautiously staring at the open door while others step out only to feel lost. It takes them time to contemplate that they got back something that was snatched away from them long back – Freedom.
I somewhat had the same feeling today. Although the lockdown was lifted long back and the movie theatres opened up, I was unsure if I should venture out. The last movie I watched in theatres was in February and it has been ten months since I visited the place a movie lover worships.
The one lesson that COVID 19 taught me was that there are a lot of things that we take for granted and we realize their value only when it’s taken away from us. This applies even to something as simple as going out for movies.
For a movie buff like me, going to a movie theatre was an activity ingrained in my routine. I used to watch at least one movie a week going to the theatre. This was followed by writing a blog about it and also discussing the same with my fellow friends/ movie lovers. This routine unexpectedly broke when COVID 19 brought the entire nation into a lockdown.
I had the OTT platforms like Netflix, Amazon Prime, and others to quench my thirst for movies and Tv shows but somehow it always felt incomplete. Just like reading books on kindle, You get all the comfort reading it through the tablet yet it just cannot replace the joy of holding the real book. Similarly, you could sit on your favorite couch and watch the movies and shows at a leisurely pace, still, you miss watching it on a big screen with the sound blaring from all sides, the aroma of popcorn floating in the air along with the chillness of the AC. OTT just cannot recreate this.
So I was thrilled by the idea of going back to the theatres and even more excited because I was going to watch the creation of the legendary filmmaker – Christopher Nolan.
As I entered the movie theatre, I was checked for my body temperature, blood oxygen and was advised to use the automated sanitizer ( This was the third time it was done since entering the mall ).
However, the theatre atmosphere looked different. Instead of an excited crowd who generally chatter around outside the movie screen, I saw people cautiously standing with their masks on with just tiny whispers coming out.
As we entered the movie hall, the aroma of popcorn had vanished. Instead, a strong smell of sanitizer rushed into my nostrils. I was confused if I was in a movie hall or a hospital. Every alternative seat was marked to make sure the audience maintain social distancing.
I removed the mask as the silver screen lit up with movie trailers. Soon the movie started and just like a hypnotized person, I forgot everything around and immersed myself into the world the legendary director Nolan had created. I only came back to reality when the lights came on and the movie was paused for a break.
I happily went out to grab a tub of cheese popcorn and a Pepsi can, but to my surprise, the waiter said you can only have food outside and cannot take it inside with you. Although I understood the reason for this, I was disappointed that I cannot watch the rest of the movie munching my favorite popcorn.
The movie ended and we came out with a dazzle in our eyes, a bit confused and in a lot of awe contemplating the magnificence of TENET. This entire experience somehow had a healing effect on me and it made me hopeful that soon in the near future, things will get normal.
It gave me the hope that soon I would come again carefree to experience the movie magic with the familiar aroma and a tub of popcorn that I can take along and get lost in the fictional world of the storyteller.
