jai ho!

Going to the movies is always a “different” experience outside of the U.S.: in France they sell sugar-popcorn and have ice cream vending machines in the back hallways; in Slovenia, you are strictly assigned seats, etc. India, however, plays in a whole new ballpark, so to speak. To date, I have seen three films here: Slumdog Millionaire, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, and Pink Panther 2.

The concessions stands crack me up. Not only do you have three different types of popcorn to choose from, you also have veg samosas and scooped ice cream. But the best is the hot corn. Not popcorn—hot corn. Just near the popcorn stand is a booth where an eager Indian man will shave the kernels off of a hot, buttery ear of corn, put them into a Dixie cup, and hand you a small wooden spoon for your tasting pleasure. I have not yet had the pleasure to experience this delicious treat, but I hear it’s wonderful.

For Slumdog Millionaire, we accidentally bought “gold tickets,” which put us in the very elite Gold Seating. We waited in a special lobby before being led to the cinema. The cinema had about 40 leather recliners, with a pillow and a blanket settled on the seat of each one. After we had nestled ourselves in the plush chairs and fully “reclined” ourselves, the movie began. I had seen Slumdog in Atlanta, but seeing it in India was pretty powerful. Granted, the volume was so loud that I lost most of my hearing, but at least I can say I watched saw it in India (and have 10% of my hearing to account for it).

We had “regular” tickets for the second and third movies I saw here. The stadium seating is quite similar to that found in the U.S., but don’t get too comfortable as the lights dim. You’ll be expected to pop right back up for the singing of the Indian national anthem. This rousing rendition of "Jana Gana Mana" includes various Indians, young and old, singing the anthem. The words scroll across the bottom for the foreigners. But they're in Sanksrit, so...

The best part: you get a good hour or so to catch your breath from all this activity before the ten minute intermission begins.