Movie magic returns to the twin cities with the new Cinepax Maria Tirmizi
Islamabad
The opening up of a multiplex in Rawalpindi is almost like being offered a tall, sparkling glass of lemonade slush in a searing Saharan desert. Add to that a bag of warm buttered popcorns!
But you can forget about the popcorns just for now; a week has passed since the Cinepax opened up and the consignment of popcorns and nachos still hasn't arrived. Still, not one person is seen complaining. Munching on whatever is available, they sink into the comfortable red sofas inside the auditorium, almost grinning from ear to ear.
Okay, people from Karachi and Lahore can stop smirking now. It's just a movie theatre, we know. You guys have had those, really good ones too, for quite some time now, yes. But, alas, we haven't. This is a big deal. For Rawalpindi AND Islamabad. It is like an oasis filled with promises of better days, of more relaxing breaks from the daily grind of our lives, of meaningful, fun times with gal pals, of finally living a culture others take for granted. We're very happy Cinepax finally opened up!
Talking to a few people from the city, Instep Today received nothing but euphoric gratefulness for the multiplex.
"This was really needed here. There was literally nothing else to do in the city except go out and eat. And it becomes sad when entertainment becomes equated to eating. Cinepax is an exciting new thing and I'm extremely happy about it," said Aisha, 19.
The first few days, the place was expectantly crowded. Young men were seen loitering around the entrance, some not willing to go inside and pay 200 rupees. This, as Fahd Haroon, 21, pointed out, can be something of a good thing. A kind of 200 rupees barrier from the hooligans.
The place was so crowded, with everyone lusting for a ticket, that the management appeared somewhat flustered and overwhelmed. They could hardly hand out tickets on time. This annoyed a young man so much, that he literally submerged the egos of the entire timid looking staff under a torrent of angry, rapid English. A nobler thing to have done was allowing the management a little more time to adjust to the throng of all the high and mighties wanting to watch a movie. It was just the second day! And it has been noticed that the management is now performing much more efficiently as the days have gone by.
But there is another thing I find hard to understand. Why can't people just speak in Urdu, their national tongue, with people who obviously do not understand English that well?
As Ghazala, 30, suggested, such condition reflects a kind of complex. It is mostly the wannabes who indulge in these exhibitions, especially for the benefit of the others ears listening in. By making sure that the staff member knew exactly where he stood, the angry young wannabe walked away, huffing and puffing in his fake accented English.
After viewing this cringing spectacle, and passing through layers of protective security measures (God help this country), I settled down to watch Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. The auditorium playing this particular film was filled with kids of all age groups, some toddlers and infants as well, who just didn't seem to 'get' J K Rowling's creative twists and turns, and made sure they shared their opinion with the entire hall with their occasional howling. A humble request to all parents: Kindly leave kids who are yet to develop the sense of what a movie or a theatre is with some caretakers for just those three hours. Many of us are quick to glorify joint family systems. Please do use their services for such occasions.
Nevertheless, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix is a visual treat, with its broomstick flying moments over the London night sky and an epic showdown between Voldemort and Dumbledore at the end. These kinds of imageries are best enjoyed on the big screen.
Though most people were watching Harry Potter, many were still interested in seeing Khuda Ke Liye again in a better environment, without the wolf-whistling endured at PAF Cinema. Then there were other choices too, like Transformers, Mr Bean's Holiday, Shrek the Third, Indian film Godfather and Punjabi film Mohabatan Sachiyan.
As you step outside after the movie into the cool October night, you notice that people are not willing to go straight home. They stand outside the multiplex, chitchatting or just walking around.
And we understand why. The location of Cinepax is just perfect. It's inside Jinnah Park, Rawalpindi, which is fast becoming quite a hotspot even for Islamabad. It has two restaurants, a McDonalds, a boutique and sprawling green lawns with gushing fountains, almost like Shalimar gardens. It was the old jail for Bhutto, you see.
I can't make the connection between the two contrasts as well. You do the math.
One thing is for sure. Once you go to Cinepax, you know you will be back for more. A bunch of teenage girls who had come all the way from Islamabad said likewise. And that tells us that Cinepax is a super duper hit!
caption
About time! Multiplexes are the cinemas of the future and it is superb that the culture is coming in to the urban centers of Pakistan. With few avenues open for entertainment, watching films with other film lovers is a simple pleasure of life that should be an option for all.
