And don146;t forget your jacket

Avani Joshi likes to think of herself as the female Aditya Chopra. No, she is not even remotely into churning out films like the Bollywood mogul but like him she too suffers from the First Day First Show FDFS syndrome. Just like Bollywood8217;s best-known FDFS fanatic, she too has been at it since she was a kid. And like the Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge maker she too was a Gaiety Galaxy regular For the uninitiated non-Mumbaiites, Gaiety Galaxy is a part of the famous G 7 theatre complex in suburban Bandra, which is regarded as the Friday Mecca for the masses until the day she discovered the Fame, the Fun and the Cinemax multiplexes in Andheri. That8217;s when she became a convert and today Avani is a huge supporter of the comforts that watching a film in a multiplex entails.

She follows a neat little ritual every Friday. She grabs a jacket 8212; 8220;the AC is a killer in the multiplexes8221; 8212; makes sure she has a seat in the hyped gold screen at Red Lounge at Cinemax 8212; 8220;that8217;s where the recliner seat becomes a bed and its almost as if you8217;re watching a film in your living room8221; 8212; and makes sure she asks for a blanket because 8220;it8217;s cold, you know8221;, not to forget the huge bag of mixed popcorns and cola. 8220;Can you imagine Delhi-type chaat in a cinema hall, we get that too8221;!

As for the film, who cares? 8220;The extra soft recliner seats make sure we stay glued to the film even if it8217;s a bad one,8221; says Avani.

Ah well, with the kind of passable fare Bollywood is churning out of late maybe we can forgive Avani her insouciance. At least she ventures out religiously to see a film. Ditto for Angad and his family who make a Sunday out of the multiplex experience. They come in at about noon and catch a film show and then go to the food court where everyone gets what they want. 8220;We come here and make sure we do everything. Basically everyone has something to do at the multiplex,8221; he says.

As our cities get comfortable with the multiplex and mall wave, watching a film at a multiplex is no longer just about the film. It8217;s the whole experience of an enjoyable day out with family and friends. There is something for everyone at the mall: a gaming zone for kids, bookshop, gift shop, food court, shopping arcade, and not to forget the silver screens. And while the ticket pricing may be a bit steep compared to your neighbourhood single screen, the comforts that a multiplex offers more than make up for it.

All in all, it works out fine. If the film is good then it8217;s a bonus otherwise there is always the recliner seat. Just remember to grab your jacket.