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In a time when filmmakers, actors, and producers are consistently urging audiences to return to cinemas, especially in a post-pandemic world where attention spans are shorter and streaming platforms bring films home within weeks, R Madhavan has offered a candid take on how going to the theatre has become a daunting task for many, particularly families. In a recent conversation with Rosepod, the actor opened up about the modern-day challenges of the theatrical experience, calling it nothing less than “traumatic.”
“Nowadays, a big challenge that we have is, earlier when we used to go to see movies in theatre there were only two options available for us to eat, either popcorn or samosa, or get something to drink. It was not a decision to be made.” He said that simply finding a parking spot, buying a ticket, braving the traffic, and reaching the theatre on time is a challenge. “You reach the theatre and then you get hit by the smell of popcorn, which I’m not very sure are fresh most of the time. So these are the challenges my film has to overcome apart from being good in content,” he said.
He went on to describe how the viewing experience itself has become increasingly disruptive; no longer the immersive, undivided attention event it once was: “It doesn’t stop there. And at one point, it used to be: if the film has begun, it has begun, now you only go out at the interval. But now it’s not like that. Suddenly, you are hit by a flashlight from somebody else’s phone who is using it to read the menu. And then light comes from another place, as somebody has ordered pani puri while watching the film. So he has kept the phone on his shoulder, enabled the flashlight, as he is eating in darkness. So just imagine, we have to fight all this as the movie is playing.”
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Madhavan also pointed out that the high cost of movie tickets only adds to the strain for families trying to enjoy a theatrical outing: “And if God forbid it has not engaged you, then the wife and husband are looking at each other and blaming — ‘You brought me here to watch this?’ It has cost Rs 1200 or whatever the price is. Then the father goes out early so that he can get the car out of parking early, otherwise he would have to wait in the queue for half an hour. So these guys are bringing so much trauma while going to watch a film. And if you irritate them by locking them in a room, they are not going to forgive you.”
R Madhavan was last seen in Aap Jaisa Koi, which premiered on Netflix. Prior to that, he appeared in Kesari Chapter 2, which had a decent run at the box office. The actor is now gearing up for a major release later this year, Dhurandhar, directed by Aditya Dhar. The ensemble film stars Ranveer Singh, Sanjay Dutt, Akshaye Khanna, and Arjun Rampal, and is scheduled to hit theatres in December.
