Tuesday, August 05, 2008

In praise of...

A new series. I feel that I don't praise the things I like nearly as much as I put down those I don't. This is an attempt to acknowledge the unsung. Please feel free to sing praises of your own. Here's my first.

In praise of mother-toddler screenings

I've lost count of the number of movies I've missed watching in theatres over the past few years. The reason is really quite simple. I don't like to take my little one to movies that are not meant for him. And it's too much hassle arranging for child care if I have to go on my own. So I simply wait till it's out on DVD. On the only occasion in the last six years when I've been to watch a Hindi movie in a movie hall with a friend, there were kids running up and down the aisle much to the irritation of other movie-goers.

So what's the solution if you want to watch a movie and can't find someone to look after the little ones and don't wish to subject them to 3-hours of Salman Khan? Get yourself a ticket to a Mother-toddler screening. A novel idea that I only recently came across at our local cinema. These are special screenings - usually on weekday mornings - where mothers with young children under the age of 3 can come along to watch a film meant for adults. This means you get the chance to watch a movie without having to worry about tut-tutting couples in the front row when your little one starts to holler because "it gone so dark now" and wonders "when will it all be over?" two minutes into the movie.

Sure, the movies they screen wouldn't be something too violent or sexually explicit. And that rules out most popular movies. But still, it gives parents a chance to enjoy a movie on the big screen in a child-friendly environment. I'll raise my popcorn tub to that.

6 comments:

Casement said...

where, where WHERE?!!!

SUR NOTES said...

i raise my pop corn tub to that as well. and to your 'in praise of...'series.

by the way, back home, here in india, all screenings are like that!

its when you go for a film without a child that you are a minority! :)
and will probably get tut tutted if you are necking, holding hands...

and if you are alone...you will be stared at, probably.

the mad momma said...

damn. same here. movies are watched when i have family in town to babysit. what a great idea ...

Shammi said...

Here's to Orange for "Orange Wednesdays" where you text 241 to them, they send you a code, you go to the movie theatre and show that code at the ticket counter... and you and your friend/husband/partner/whoever get to see any movie at half-price on Wednesdays :)

Only works for Orange subscribers, of course...

Anonymous said...

Must say I support them too. I went absolutely mad at a desi theatre in London at a screening of Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna because of the screaming kids, some of whom decided to go on walks with their mother in front of the screen. Not their fault-but I was raging at the parents.

Blogeswari said...

Here's to all the Fab Indias and OMOs of the world who sell XL and XXL and XXL Kurtas!