A Story of My Own

As I look at my bloodshot eyes in the mirror and deal with the throbbing pain around them, the question that knocks at my being is – was it worth it? The answer is a definite Yes!

Year after year, when I visited the city, I passed this monument of cinematic glory. Whenever I left VT, one of the first buildings I saw was this. Those broad roads from the Bombay of my childhood (I don’t feel they are that broad now, somehow seemed bigger back then), with this building that seemed to own that particular square. It was always pointed out by Grandpa or Mom or Dad – “see, that’s the famous theatre” and it always made you go Wow! I remember its walls were sea-green then, and how beautiful the poster of Barsaat looked on it, the shade of Bobby Deol’s sunglasses and the poster's background being the perfect compliment to the walls of the theatre. My dad hardly took us to the theatres for movies, as he felt most theatres were so dilapidated that they did not offer a good cinematic experience, these were ofcourse the days before the advent of the multiplex. Infact, the first movie I saw in a theatre was a children’s movie organized by my school in New Delhi when I was 7. The first movie I saw with family was organized by my uncle who lived in Chandigarh that time. So, everytime I was pointed out this theatre associated with bollywood glory, I wondered if and when will I get to see a movie in it. During my teens I used to even get angry when I was shown this theatre as it wasn’t like I was going to see a movie in there so why point it out?

So, yesterday when I stepped into Metro for a movie, the lack of sleep was replaced by awe and wonder. It was not just any theatre, it was Metro! A theatre built by MGM, with murals from the students of JJ School of Art, the venue of the first Filmfare awards and site of star-studded premiers of bollywood movies in the 70s.

Its Metro Big Cinemas today. I don’t know what it was like before but its said that the chandeliers, art and marble flooring is from the original Metro. I really liked the chandeliers. I also enjoyed the 3D experience there. I like 3D movies but often feel a bit disappointed with them because in all the theatres I visited I did not feel that the 3D was that great, be it in Inox, or another subsidiary of Big Cinemas or PVR. The 3D experience at Metro really added to my happiness quotient as it’s the best I have encountered so far! Ya, so I have only been able to sleep some 5 hours in the past 2 days and could have slept yesterday and been hale and hearty but I chose to go for the movie even though I had no idea which theatre we were headed to. The joy of visiting Metro ups it all and makes the pain totally worth it. Best part is I now have a story of my own to tell my kins – A story of experiencing the Metro.