Touring Talkies

 Nostalgic touring   Talkies....

Rarely i watch movies in theatres..

after a long gap i went to watch a film in a popular Mall in our place.. there are three theatres in the 

Mall... three different movies.. this is new to our home town..

 i got into the theatre  and it was deep dark even at the start of the movie. it was too chill and seats all neatly arranged ... and a deadly silence.. i felt i am in a rectangle  wooden box as if frozen.. 

when i shared it to my daughter  she said.. 'you and your imagination...keep quiet . don't talk now... all are watching us.. 'i looked here and there . even before the film started .they  were glued to the mobile's screen..  i felt i had grown old and outdated not fit for this generation..  why they be so silent and serious to watch a film in a theater to be in such a silence..they can be at home reading a message or a book.

I had a flash back ... i take you to the eighties...the days i enjoyed in touring talkies... Those days there were only one theater in my native place and most of the days i  went there... The owner of the theater was one of my grandpa's friends and   i  used to be  with a big group of children all relatives .. cousins ..we  were given a free pass and   allowed to sit in a balcony...  

Next to balcony there was  first class and then ii class all benches and finally floor tickets  where the village people who worked in  fields,shops and house holds were present. 

when the lights were on.... some of them looked at us pointing that i was the grand child of so and  so... and i felt i was a princess...in the crowd..

Getting ready for a film was like a small tour. Our aunts  taking a  lot of snacks also.. there were colour sodas and murrukkus and kadalai mittais and we  use to nag   to get them ,

 Drinking colour soda with the tingling of the marble that went this side and that side was really thrilling...  we   laugh loudly with the comedies and cry with the mothers when the mother of the hero cried. we fought when there was a fight in the theatre   and our elders pleaded to be silent..

Many theaters in my town had a lot of pillars  in the hall and getting a seat without pillars hiding us was a fortune.. otherwise we would get up  jump a little, to see whats going on in the screen.. 

moreover one should be very careful in finding a chair .There were folding chairs in most of the theaters and unless you get settled properly you fall down and others would make fun of you.    It  was thrilling  to see the screen go up and the film would start up with news all Gandhi and Nehrus and Anna..Thunderous claps cheered whenever Anna comes on screen and Kamarajar too.  At the end every one stands up for the National anthem and wait for the Jaya jaya jayahe..and we use to sing loudly...

There  were also moving banners with drums and music before a film was released.. That was a celebration and people would watch eagerly with  gaping eyes..

Now ...when i watch the heros and heroines with the clumsy pants and their twist dances i feel funny.. and sometimes   all women shedding tears for silly resaons .. the thaali sentiment made us all cry and think about the plight of the heroines .. But all the heroes and heroines were happily married ever-after and all the films ended up in their marriage.. 

Technology has brought about a lot of miraculous changes in modern cinematography.. but still it is fabulous to watch Jagan  Mohini and  the kalyana Samayal saatham song where the giant devours all the Sweets kept in barrels...

A cinema created a lot of impact in us and it was in the memories of everyone of us whenever   we went to watch a film...

but is this felt among the youngsters now..   

.may be i am not totally right..

but i am sure that i am not totally wrong...