The mall and multiplex culture has extended its wings to the Dasara celebrations in the city. The Dasara Film Festival, which traces its origin to the single screen theatres in the city, some three decades ago, have been restricted to a couple of multiplexes since a couple of years.

Nagamangala Narasimha Murthy, a film enthusiast, said, even though a film connoisseur can watch some good movies in the multiplexes at affordable prices on this occasion, one can’t watch a movie of his/her interest during evening hours. “An office-goer or a college student will be normally free after 6 pm on a working day. So, one does not get a fair opportunity to watch a particular movie of one’s interest, since only two screens would be available at any given point in time during the festival. Some of the movies would have a fixed scheduled, only for morning show or matinee show. So, the festival can be enjoyed only by those who are free during the day time,” he said.

“The Mysuru district administration and the Dasara Committee should include more number of reasonably decent theatres such as Shantala, Lido, Woodlands, Sangam, Rajkamal, Prabha, Padma, Sterling and Skyline, for screening of some award-winning and foreign language movies, in addition to the multiplexes. The theatre owners would definitely support the committee’s stand. So, the committee can make sure that at least five different movies are made available at 7 pm. Similarly, the committee can review the duration of the Film Festival from the existing seven days to 15 days with not much financial impact. It will facilitate entertainment to more number of people, especially Mysoreans, at affordable prices,” Narasimha Murthy said.

This time, under the Dasara Film Festival, organised by the Dasara Film Sub-Committee, more than 50 films — regional language, national and internationally acclaimed movies — will be screened. The DRC Cinemas and Inox have been roped in for the screening. The multiplexes will screen four movies a day between September 22 and 28.

While the movies screened in DRC Cinemas are open for all, only those above 18 years of age are allowed to watch the movies in Inox. Registration is a must to watch movies in Inox, while for the movies screened at DRC Cinemas, Rs 30 has been fixed for each show.

Dhananjaya, a government employee, a native of Kolar, recalled how he used to enjoy movies during the Dasara Film Festival as a student of the Maharaja’s College in the early 1990s.

“When I was a student, the festival films would be screened only as morning shows. I don’t remember the fare. But, it was very less. May be Re 1 or Rs 2. I watched some classics during the festival, which I still cherish. I wish to watch a couple of movies this Dasara too. But, due to work pressure, I might not be able to watch most of them. The experience of watching a movie on a single screen, is much different from the multiplex experience,” he said.

DH News Service

Demand for Dasara film festival in single-screen theatres