Harry Potter

Char & I had our first experience in an Indian movie theatre this weekend where the new Harry Potter movie was showing.   After fumbling around with the online booking procedure, I was able to snag the last two available seats in town at a huge modern multiplex downtown.

I say experience, because the Indian audience is nothing at all like a US audience.  Our first clue was when the title came on the screen, a huge cheer went up from the crowd.  This was followed by another equally enthusiastic cheer when each character was introduced.  During the quieter moments, cell phones were going off, or someone would shout out an occasional joke or "poor Dobby!"  Overall it was more like going to a football game than a movie.  Fortunately the movie was subtitled, even though it was in English.  If it hadn't been we would have lost half the dialogue to the noise.  As we got half way through the film, it suddenly stopped and people started swarming out of the theatre.  We were a bit baffled at first until we realized this was an intermission and they were heading to the concession stand for drinks and snacks.

To say films are popular here would be an understatement, and movie stars have huge followings.  Indian movie production in Chennai is big business, being second only to Bollywood in Mumbai.  The films produced here are in the Tamil language vs. Hindu, but also have worldwide distribution.  The occasional glimpses we have had of these "Kollywood" movies is of nonstop fights with heroes rescuing heroines with impossible feats, or romantic scenes much like what you would see in a 60's musical.  But to be fair, I understand many films have won awards at international competitions.

So I'm left wondering if we'll be seeing the last in the series of Harry Potter movies in a subdued American theatre, our if we will be immersed in the midst of a very enthusiastic crowd.