Out of Focus

Located at the third floor of the plush DLF Emporio mall,Vasant Kunj,DC is a notch higher than Gold class,claiming to be “the final and definitive word on cinema viewing”. The place has tried very hard to live up to that,but only through food and service. Before we even entered,we saw a Director’s Café with quite a variety: from salads and fruits to pastries and cookies,along with a seating area and a magazine rack just opposite it.

A colourful shop of all things Bollywood (in excess) caught our attention instantly. There are coasters (Rs 89),pencil cases (Rs 599),sling and pool bags (Rs 699),and cushion covers (Rs 999),among others,with psychedelic prints of Bollywood actors on them. Blown-up posters of movies like Mela,Sholay and Bandhan (Rs 10,000 each) were definite objects of curiosity since the shop assistant told us firmly that they were “original and certified.”

Amid this Bollywood merchandise,we found an occasional Chetan Bhagat. Not a very pleasant surprise,as it was spotted sitting among other predictable set of biographies and cinema literature. When asked to show their supposed “rare DVD selection”,the shop assistant promptly pointed at Dirty Dancing,Motorcycle Diaries,Back to the Future,Nicholas Sparks’ movie adaptations,and Psycho,among others. Their ‘Director’s Rare’ section,however,though not rare per say,can teach novices a thing or two,with films like Scorsese’s Taxi Driver,Tom Ford’s A Single Man and Ang Lee’s Taking Woodstock,among others.

Once out,the life-sized faces of Hollywood directors embossed over the glass,enclosing a posh restaurant inside,stopped us. With live cooking and multi-cuisine buffet menu on the platter,all priced reasonably between Rs 100 and Rs 495,the restaurant is just short of a liquor licence for the bar to rev up the experience. Yet another lounge space next to it has a wall with a wish-list of sorts,with pictures of Indian directors,some signed by those who have been there for their film promotions,and a couple of them waiting to be signed.

Finally,there’s the movie auditorium,the sole and easily forgettable idea of DC. For starters,on weekdays,tickets are priced at Rs 500. However,this privilege lasts only till 1 pm as the price is Rs 750 thereafter. From Friday to Sunday,it’s Rs 750 before 1 pm and Rs 850 post that. The four auditoriums are 3D-compliant,come with extremely comfortable reclining seats and ipad menus. With a capacity to seat 282 people in all,these can be booked for private screenings and events.

Our verdict: Naming it ‘Director’s Cut’ is an overstatement,let alone calling it “a cultural space for cineastes”. If anything,cinema has been overshadowed by a rather superfluous luxury lounge,patisserie and restaurant. We are told that Martin Scorsese’s birthday next month (November 17) will have a special screenings.

We are waiting.