There was a time when attending the cinema required extensive planning, often involving several days of preparation, and an entire day dedicated to the outing. Watching television at home was limited to terrestrial antennas, dish antennas, or cable TV subscriptions. However, difficulties in receiving signals through terrestrial antennas were prevalent in many rural areas, particularly in hilly regions. The scarcity of a sufficiently affordable population combined with inadequate infrastructure hampered necessary repairs and maintenance, making it challenging for cable TV operators to extend their services to isolated customers, often limited to one or two households situated several kilometers apart.

In rural areas, households with televisions typically restricted their visual media consumption to news reports or utilized devices such as VCPs to view their preferred films. They faced significant challenges due to voltage fluctuations resulting from an unstable power supply, compounded by frequent power outages caused by interruptions in transmission. The availability of electricity was limited, yet almost every home possessed battery-operated radio transmitters. In this context, a trip to the cinema primarily entailed experiencing audio-based narratives from radio for a vast audience. Those who have not watched movies atleast once perceived it as role-playing among a small group of individuals. Though the availability of audio telecasting splitted from the movie was limited to the weekend holiday once a month.

Those were the times when listening to audio cassettes featuring songs from albums or the latest releases of songs from movies of renowned actors served as a primary link to the cinematic world. The purchase of every favored song was often unfeasible due to financial constraints. Movie reviews were disseminated through newspapers and magazines, while music was played on specific programs. On one occasion, I was requested to provide a review of the best film I had seen when a relative visited on vacation. His demeanor changed, becoming slightly embarrassed, as he gathered my brother, my father, and me to attend a film that same weekend, after I admitted that I did not have a favorite movie, having not viewed any film in its entirety during my time in the fifth grade. My father, burdened by his demanding schedule, rarely had the opportunity to accompany us to the cinema.

We arrived at the theater to see the most popular regional film of the time. However, due to the overwhelming crowd, we were unable to secure tickets in a timely manner and consequently missed the screening. As the next viable option, we proceeded to a nearby theater that had limited bookings, where we were able to obtain seats. The film we ultimately watched was a blend of comedy and drama, lacking any notable reviews, and it included several violent scenes, which contributed to its poor ratings.

After exiting the cinema, our uncle, who had taken us to the movies, inquired about our experience. With enthusiasm, I remarked that it was a very enjoyable experience. He then probed into the performances of specific actors, to which I responded that they were commendable. However, he noted that some critics are masked in the story, failing to elaborate on this point for us, as children. This reflection now makes sense to me as I am sure about it’s narrative. When I recounted my first cinema experience to my friends at school, who were predominantly movie enthusiasts, I felt as though I belonged to a different realm, especially as they expressed their desire to abandon the film after just a few minutes of its peculiar nature on television.

Throughout this years it was not watched for the second time. But last week, some time and effort were taken to watch it online. The perspective that I had about the movie is entirely changed and is very different from watching for the first time. Though it is fascinating that the story and a few scenes together with some characters remain in the mind as exactly it is.