When I was in school, I had INR 2 of allowance per week to watch movies. INR 1.85 for the movie ticket; the rest INR 0.15 to splurge on eateries. The ticket prices ranged from INR 0.85 to INR 2.35. There was differentiation. The eateries were available starting from INR 0.05 till INR 2 (for a soft drink). The process of waiting until Sunday to watch a movie, particularly those that had a lot of action (read fights) was fun. I used to leave home 2 hours before the movie starts and reach home 2 hours after the movie ends. I used to stand in hours of queues to get tickets for my favorite hero’s movies (2 hours for this). There were occasions when I used to get suffocated in between those biggies who had equal craze to watch the movie on the same day. On the way back from the movie, my friends and I would mime the hero, fight as he fought in the movie (2 hours for this). The fight sequences would be repeated ad nauseam at school, on streets, till we went to the next movie.

Small town. Little or no money. Small dreams. Life was fun that way.

Today also I go to movies. Only at a Multiplex. This is usually what happens:

1. There are no balcony, dress circle and lower benches. All spend same amount. Where I sit depends on when I buy the ticket. That’s about it.
2. No queues. Get the tickets through someone.
3. I spend more money on eating corn/chips and on drinking colas / cane juices than on the tickets.
4. I eat more but stop to check my weight. Cry over the BMI, which will be above the recommended level.
5. Curse the management for not allowing to use escalator to come down.
6. Start from home 2 hours before the movie starts and come back about 2 hours after the movie ends. But this time not to mime my hero or fight with friends. But to drive through the traffic, spend more money on food and sundry items.
7. I “also” watch a movie

Life has changed. This is fun too. In between what has been lost is the possibility to entertain oneself with small amounts of money or no money at all. It costs a lot of money to entertain oneself. Multiplex Culture.