Write Stuff :: by Tejaswini

ALONE AT THE MOVIES.

The first movie I saw alone, was Mrs. Doubtfire. In a way, it was a rite of passage. Going to the movies till then, had been a family production. The entire family dressed to the nines, descended on the theatre.The movies were usually Hindi, and fell into the category of “ family entertainment”.
While I loved the whole “event “ feeling of such movie viewing, I rarely remembered details. Probably due to the fact, that there was a great deal of vocal participation from all of us. Comments were passed, dialogues were repeated and retorts were sent up in smart alecky fashion. Result, one returned from a movie, after having a ball, but with no memory of the screen action.
Many years later, I was in a movie theatre, watching or rather trying to watch a movie by Mani Ratnam, called “ Roja”. Failing to do so, since I was trying to answer the questions of an earnest young man. It was one of those college experiences, where one daringly went for a movie, and called it a “date”, later. Obviously, the young man had come for a date, while I was there for a movie! Result, I returned to the same theatre a week later, and watched the movie with my mother, who thankfully , is not a big talker.
Fast forward a couple of years. I was in a theatre , with a large group of people, and one special man, who loved movies and me, in that order. He also loved his friends, which was the reason, that they were accompanying us to watch “ Forrest Gump”. I realised, that I was committing two movie watching mistakes, at the same time. But what the hell, the man made it worth it. Watching him watch the movie, was a pleasure, I would not have denied myself!
Predictable result, I watched said movie, later, on TV, by myself.
Cut to a few years down the line. I was at the movies again. This time with a troop of mothers and little ones, for the movie “Lagaan”. The kids were there for the popcorn and the women , for the illusion of being at the movies. An illusion that was shattered by the interval. Requests for snacks and drinks, riddled the air. At every crucial moment in the movie, a plaintive cry had to be dealt with at the toilets. By the end of the movie, which was almost three and a half hours long, the children were asleep and the mothers were ready to drop dead. I never watched Lagaan again, on TV or in a theatre, too many memories, of the strangest kind, there!
Of course, besides these milestones, there have been many movies that I watched solo. Gradually, as I settled into a life, which included other people and their needs, I found much needed succour at the movies, alone. For though there may be other pastimes, or entertainments, that can take one’s mind off reality, nothing else provided an escape route, and so artistically. I marveled at the craziness of Baz Luhrmann, while watching Moulin Rouge, laughed and sighed along with Bridget Jones, and fell in love with the character of Russell Crowe in Gladiator….

Recently, I read in the papers, that it is “au courant” for women to go to the movies alone. Reasons were cited, which made a lot of sense. Time, availability of companions , tight schedules, spontaneity. For me watching a movie alone, makes sense, too. Except that my reasons, are simpler. I like it like that. The latest movie I saw by myself was “ Ray”. Every word was savoured, every
note of music, heard and stored away . As I walked out of the theatre, I could hear “ Hit the road Jack, “ playing in my head. Two months later, I still do!