Multiplex Culture in India

Suppose one day you wake up with the news that all the food hubs are going to be converted into ‘5 star luxury hotels’, and you have to spend xxx amount for a 'simple veggie'!! Huh! Sounds horrible isn’t it? On the same lines think of the emerging multiplex culture in India, keeping in mind the fact that these multiplexes are erected on the debries of our very own single screened theatres.
Few years ago Hindi Cine Industry realised that not every movie can be a blockbuster. So Bollywood decided that it would adopt the American model and make movie-going an “experience”. It wasn’t just about the hero or the heroine any more. It was about how caramelized your popcorn was and how deeply you could sink into your seat. PVR opened the country’s first multiplex in New Delhi in 1997. The delivery system had become sophisticated. The product changed its packaging too. The Hindi movie got slicker. Costume designers and poster makers became more important than storytellers. Exotic locations became de rigueur. Naturally, the costs spiralled.
Multiplexes haven’t just altered movie-going habits, at least in urban centres. The very structure of the multiplex, which has several screens with smaller capacities per screen, is posing a challenge to mainstream film-making. With most single screens in cities converting to multiplexes, producers and distributors have to cater to blocks that may be paying more money per ticket, but are also more fragmented than before.
Cinema is a major source of entertainment in India. People love to watch movies and even idolize some of the actors and actresses. They are not only crazy to watch a movie in the very first week of its release but love watching it a number of times. Alas! Multiplex culture has dwindled this passion. Reason, economic constraints.
India is not an economically developed country like USA or Canada or many European countries where majority of people fall into the same economic zone and the low capacity of malls doesn’t affect the movie freaks. People there have got several other modes of entertainment. They spend money on museums, zoo, circus, opera, theatre, sports, fitness club and travelling etc. And not to forget, purchasing power of people in the developed countries is obviously more.
Multiplex culture is no doubt good as it has enhanced the security of females and made a movie watching a classic experience but mostly multiplexes are developed on the debris of old and economical single screen cinema halls. Their existence reduced the chances for a large number of people to watch the film in first week of its release. Moreover, a lower middle class family can’t even think of a movie in multiplex. Spending 500+ for a single fun trip is a mean amount! To watch a film in first few days has always been a thrill for people, keeping passion towards cinema. But policy of big filmmakers and distributers to release initially their films only in multiplexes has killed that adventure for masses. It has become prerogative of few chosen only, who can spend few hundred Rupees per person to watch a film.
This one star, three star or five star differentiations can work beautifully in the hotel or restaurant business because one may get the fundamental things, accommodation and food, at every other place also wherever he goes. One may get a very tasty food at road side dhaba also but if tomorrow five star hotels and restaurants start affecting the vegetable market and production and selling of common vegetables and people are forced to go to five star hotels only to eat even common vegetables then we can imagine the control of market over our food life. If big films are chosen to be released in multiplexes only then their filmmakers and distributers are depriving a large section of people from getting the pleasure of seeing the film in first week and like this some will never be able to watch the particular movie in theatre.
Cinema is an art and art is meant to unite people. In 50s, Pt. Nehru had called Industries as temples of modern India and Hindi films have also been able to unite the country. Virtually Multiplex culture is leading to an economic class demarcation in the society. India shining is good but we should not forget the areas which are yet to get the reflections!