Mysore has always been a city at peace with itself. A city happy being
in its perpetual state of laid-back royalty. But in the past five years,
things have started to change. People have started migrating, real
estate has boomed, retail stores have spilt over and jewellery stores,
well there are so many that one is reminded of the stories of the
Vijayanagar empire where they say gems were sold on the streets.
Now, if people want to spend money, there are avenues to do so, but if they want to spend time with their loved ones there has always been one place missing. A place that would officially put us in the “city category” by modern consumerist standards — a multiplex.
“Mysore does not have a multiplex,” people complained. Young couples and families would rush to Bangalore to catch a new English movie or a 3D movie, which the children love. But all that will change, thanks to the first multiplex which opened its door this morning at B.M. Habitat Mall, next to B.M. Hospital.
I was privileged enough to get an invitation for a preview at the new multiplex last week. The movie they screened for us was the new hit Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara. Though I had watched the movie before I went to see the new multiplex instead. I was interested to see how comfortable the seats were; how the audio visual quality was and how it compares to the multiplexes in other bigger cities.
But of course I was distracted from being a “multiplex critique” by the audiences’ awkward giggles as Hrithik Roshan gave a thorough tonsil examination to Katrina Kaif. Of course, Hrithik’s double thumb too distracted me a couple of times, but then no critique needs a keen eye when the audience seem genuinely glad and comfortable.
Personally I am very excited about the multiplex. More importantly it is the cup holder in the multiplex’s cinema halls that has me smiling. Now I don't have to be a human cup holder and food tray because every time I go for a movie in Mysore with my wife, I end up holding her cool drink in one hand and her popcorn in the other. She enjoys the movie and I feel abused.
Also I don't have to be an expert at precariously bending down and finding the perfect location to place the empty cool drink bottle under my seat. Thanks to the cup holders now I won’t be used as a serving tray and will finally be counted as audience.
But over all, the four cinema halls are very good; one screen even plays 3D movies. The seats are comfortable and the sound is very good.
The lobby is tastefully done up with good looking food counter. The multiplex can be accessed by escalators and stairs from within the Mall and lift from the basement parking lot. Very convenient indeed, but unfortunately most people had parked their vehicles on the road outside creating traffic congestion in spite of the ample parking space inside the Habitat Mall.
DRC Cinemas, which is managing the multiplex, is a partnership between two old families of Mysore — the Padakis and Murthys. The former has a history in running movie theatres and the latter in running hospitals. The Padakis have been running the famous Shantala Theatre for generations and now have ventured into multiplex. The other partners are Dr. Harsha Murthy and Pramod Murthy, sons of Mysore's famous doctor Dr. C. B. Murthy, Proprietor of B.M. Hospital. Dr. Harsha Murthy seemed comfortable juggling between an operation theatre and a movie theatre.
The DRC Cinemas multiplex venture has gone through its ups and downs. Initially, the famous multiplex management company PVR (Priya Village Roadshow) wanted to set up the cinemas. Then it was the Reliance-owned Adlabs, who too failed to get the multiplex running. So finally the owners of the Habitat Mall, the Murthys and the owners of Shantala Theatre came together to bring this multiplex to life on their own. Now after a year, the four-screen multiplex with a seating for 960 people has been thrown open.
For many of us old Mysoreans this opening of multiplex is a sure sign of change. It is also a chance for many of us who don't have the time or inclination to make trips to Bangalore to watch movies and enjoy them like it was meant to be, in Mysore itself.
Mysore of course has a few theatres that are good, with parking space and decent audio visual effect, such as Sangam, Gayathri and Lido. But the advantage of the multiplex is the overall experience. There is shopping (there is an Easy Day Mall right underneath) plus the advantage to choose from an array of movies to watch at one location, a new experience for us Mysoreans.
This experience is only expected to be enhanced soon considering that there is another multiplex opening shortly on the other side of town near the Golf Club at the Mall of Mysore. At this Mall, not only can one enjoy some retail therapy but also visit the Radisson Hotel (which is attached), visit the food court and various other stores before heading up to experience a 4-screen multiplex designed and managed by the big multiplex company from Chennai — Satyam Cinemas.
While at last we have a multiplex, it is interesting to note that it is by Mysoreans for Mysoreans. The final world on DRC Multiplex — Rs. 100 for Kannada on weekdays and Rs. 120 on weekends. For English, Hindi and other regional languages its Rs. 150 may be a bit steep for Mysore but it's worth it. If you enjoy the whole experience of movie watching — from hassle-free parking to high audio and video quality, from clean bathrooms to multiple movie options. Another laudable aspect of this multiplex is that it is completely handicap-friendly.
Looks like weekends just got 'reel' good for Mysoreans.
Now, if people want to spend money, there are avenues to do so, but if they want to spend time with their loved ones there has always been one place missing. A place that would officially put us in the “city category” by modern consumerist standards — a multiplex.
“Mysore does not have a multiplex,” people complained. Young couples and families would rush to Bangalore to catch a new English movie or a 3D movie, which the children love. But all that will change, thanks to the first multiplex which opened its door this morning at B.M. Habitat Mall, next to B.M. Hospital.
I was privileged enough to get an invitation for a preview at the new multiplex last week. The movie they screened for us was the new hit Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara. Though I had watched the movie before I went to see the new multiplex instead. I was interested to see how comfortable the seats were; how the audio visual quality was and how it compares to the multiplexes in other bigger cities.
But of course I was distracted from being a “multiplex critique” by the audiences’ awkward giggles as Hrithik Roshan gave a thorough tonsil examination to Katrina Kaif. Of course, Hrithik’s double thumb too distracted me a couple of times, but then no critique needs a keen eye when the audience seem genuinely glad and comfortable.
Personally I am very excited about the multiplex. More importantly it is the cup holder in the multiplex’s cinema halls that has me smiling. Now I don't have to be a human cup holder and food tray because every time I go for a movie in Mysore with my wife, I end up holding her cool drink in one hand and her popcorn in the other. She enjoys the movie and I feel abused.
Also I don't have to be an expert at precariously bending down and finding the perfect location to place the empty cool drink bottle under my seat. Thanks to the cup holders now I won’t be used as a serving tray and will finally be counted as audience.
But over all, the four cinema halls are very good; one screen even plays 3D movies. The seats are comfortable and the sound is very good.
The lobby is tastefully done up with good looking food counter. The multiplex can be accessed by escalators and stairs from within the Mall and lift from the basement parking lot. Very convenient indeed, but unfortunately most people had parked their vehicles on the road outside creating traffic congestion in spite of the ample parking space inside the Habitat Mall.
DRC Cinemas, which is managing the multiplex, is a partnership between two old families of Mysore — the Padakis and Murthys. The former has a history in running movie theatres and the latter in running hospitals. The Padakis have been running the famous Shantala Theatre for generations and now have ventured into multiplex. The other partners are Dr. Harsha Murthy and Pramod Murthy, sons of Mysore's famous doctor Dr. C. B. Murthy, Proprietor of B.M. Hospital. Dr. Harsha Murthy seemed comfortable juggling between an operation theatre and a movie theatre.
The DRC Cinemas multiplex venture has gone through its ups and downs. Initially, the famous multiplex management company PVR (Priya Village Roadshow) wanted to set up the cinemas. Then it was the Reliance-owned Adlabs, who too failed to get the multiplex running. So finally the owners of the Habitat Mall, the Murthys and the owners of Shantala Theatre came together to bring this multiplex to life on their own. Now after a year, the four-screen multiplex with a seating for 960 people has been thrown open.
For many of us old Mysoreans this opening of multiplex is a sure sign of change. It is also a chance for many of us who don't have the time or inclination to make trips to Bangalore to watch movies and enjoy them like it was meant to be, in Mysore itself.
Mysore of course has a few theatres that are good, with parking space and decent audio visual effect, such as Sangam, Gayathri and Lido. But the advantage of the multiplex is the overall experience. There is shopping (there is an Easy Day Mall right underneath) plus the advantage to choose from an array of movies to watch at one location, a new experience for us Mysoreans.
This experience is only expected to be enhanced soon considering that there is another multiplex opening shortly on the other side of town near the Golf Club at the Mall of Mysore. At this Mall, not only can one enjoy some retail therapy but also visit the Radisson Hotel (which is attached), visit the food court and various other stores before heading up to experience a 4-screen multiplex designed and managed by the big multiplex company from Chennai — Satyam Cinemas.
While at last we have a multiplex, it is interesting to note that it is by Mysoreans for Mysoreans. The final world on DRC Multiplex — Rs. 100 for Kannada on weekdays and Rs. 120 on weekends. For English, Hindi and other regional languages its Rs. 150 may be a bit steep for Mysore but it's worth it. If you enjoy the whole experience of movie watching — from hassle-free parking to high audio and video quality, from clean bathrooms to multiple movie options. Another laudable aspect of this multiplex is that it is completely handicap-friendly.
Looks like weekends just got 'reel' good for Mysoreans.
Caption: 1) DRC Owners (from left) Hanumanth, Vaishali Padaki, Dr. Harsha Murthy and Pramod Murthy.
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