SATYAM CINEMAS !!!

Chennai seems to be less occupied on Saturday afternoons when most of its residents try to get a nap after a delicious meal. But there remains one place which does not lose its air of zeal but rather springs into active life. It’s none other than Satyam cinemas. It’s the place where most of the Chennaities try to spend their weekends. Cinema is a medium which converges all age groups, and this place just happens to be a proof of this statement.

At early noon boys come in gangs so that they have a look at all girls coming in. Some even wait for girls to get tickets so that they may sit next to them while watching the movie. The guys come in all sorts of attires ranging from bermudas or ¾ tracks to cargos, faded jeans (actually the colour was lost during washing) to formal trousers, with sports banians to transparent shirts. They don’t stop with this. Have some phrases like Adding to the woe et al. With the funky dresses they wear colourful bands, palm sized rings, and monstrous pendants. If this happens to be the case with boys, then a first time visitor might think that he has ended up in a fashion parade on seeing the girls .The girls just treat this place as a tryout area for their new dresses and makeups. The boys too react with ‘oohs’ ‘wows’ and ‘aahs’ and seldom with ‘chee’ on seeing the tight clad jeans with t shirts, dazzling saris, skirts and kurtis.

As the crowd begin to gather hours before the show-time, group of boys and girls get to have a pompous chitchat which makes the heads of opposite sex turn. All this showoff is intended to make new contacts, friendships but mostly dates. In contrast to this, young couples prefer to meet minutes before the show-time and collect tickets which they had booked through internet, of course from the boy’s credit card. But one can easily find newly married couples with the lady being dressed in silk sari with lot of ornaments and heavy make up as if she has come to a wedding function. The man seems too watchful always holding her hand in fear that she might run away. People do come in families whenever some animation film or family subject is screened usually come because of their kids who are eager to see their superhero or cartoon character in action. The fathers of these families do all kind of circus activities like juggling the eatables which the kids and the ladies require as a supplement for watching the movie.

In addition to screening of movies, canvassing activities take place near the ticket counters. These products range from shampoo (with free wash for those who haven’t taken their bath) to cars. On a lot one can see the various shades of youth in this place. There may be chances that one can spot a cine star in disguise (i.e. without makeup) and if fortunate he/she may be seated next during the screening of the film.