BIG Dhoka!

 
Date : 17 December (Delhi - Noida)

1. 9.20pm: Finished Dinner
2. 9.23pm: Getting ready, its cold outside, a sweater would be handy 
3. 9.28pm: Start to feel bad as i leave back wifey and kiddos at home while i go to experience a slice of history all alone. Anu (wife) makes this sacrifice for me as she knows how desperate i am to catch this movie first day. And with little kids its not a cool option to take them along on a weekday. 
4. 9.30pm: Say goodnight and head out of the front door towards my car. As i go closer i hope that nothing untoward happens like my car getting stolen, tyres deflated, etc,etc. If so, how would i be able to reach the theater in time.Uff, thankfully all seems to be fine i can see my car
   
5. 9.31pm: Am feeling great, one hour 15mins more to go. Hope there is no traffic on my way, don't want to miss even one second of the show.
   
6. 9.40pm: Roads are clear, no traffic hurray!!! this way i would reach Noida before time. Maybe i could spend some time at the mall. After all am watching the film at 'BIG Cinemas' at the 'The Great India Place' Mall (TGIP). One of the biggest and best malls of the country
7. 9.45pm: Watching the Delhi metro trains along my way, what an awesome sight, i wish the whole country gets connected this way
8. 9.50pm: I enter Noida, few more minutes before i reach TGIP 
   
9. 10.00pm: Ah, i can sight the Mall. Am almost there
10. 10.05pm: No queue at the parking lot, wow, whats with today. Seems like lady luck is with me
11. 10.10pm: Security check done, am inside the mall
12. 10.12pm: Head straight to the booking counter, get my tickets printed. Meanwhile i find one gentleman asking for tickets at the counter next to me, only to be told its all sold out. He winks at the guy at the counter and says "boss, kuch setting karade, doo ticket chahiye, wait karoo kya". I look at him and think, " fool, what do you think you are doing, this is the paid preview of 'Avatar', the movie,that too in 3D, how dare you think you can just walk in and book tickets". I smile and think i was smart this time. Booked tickets 3 days in advance. Haha!
13. 10.13pm: Still plenty of time to kill, what do i do?
14. 10.15pm: I walk around the mall all alone. Most shops closed for the day. I feel a little strange. Not used to walking around like this. Typical scene is, pram in one hand, kids fighting over who should be sitting in the pram or rather who should be pushing it. Me wanting to head to the movie hall or to the food court and Anu wanting to see whats new at the Lifestyle store
15. 10.20pm: Head to food court, don't eat anything as i had my fill at home
16. 10.22pm: Call up my brother at Hyderabad, he is watching this movie tomorrow. I beat him this time. Mom tells me that she is watching on news that some groups are claiming the movie has been named Avatar and if it hurts any Hindu sentiments they would ban the movie. I thank my lucky stars that i will be watching it before anyone of them sees it and decides to ban it.
17. 10.25pm: Now i start getting restless, i have to head back to the theater
18. 10.27pm: I walk to the metal detector at the entrance, the guard looks at my ticket and gives me a puzzled look. He points me to a gentleman dressed in a suit
19. 10.28pm: I walk to him, there are already a few more people standing around him.He says " We are very sorry, due to a technical problem we wont be able to screen this movie tonight".
20. Damn, my whole world is shattered. What is he talking about?I say "WHAT ARE YOU SAYING?". 
21. He repeats " We are having a problem and in case you wish we can give you a full refund, or you can watch Rocket Singh or Paa, or come tomorrow night for the same show". 
22. I am furious i say " DO YOU EVEN KNOW WHAT YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT, THIS ISN'T ANY MOVIE, THIS IS AN EVENT, HOW CAN YOU GUYS MESS IT UP LIKE THIS". 
23. The manager is very apologetic, says " Sir, we have been trying all evening to fix it, our engineers are coming tonight, what would you like to do, watch Rocket Singh or Paa at the ebony lounge?". 
24. I go totally red in my face, tears ready to roll down, same time i see few folks take the bait for Rocket Singh at ebony loungue.Rs500 ticket at Rs200, wow they say. I think, you losers don't deserve to watch Avatar. 
25. Same was the case with another couple who were more worried that if they got a refund they wont be getting the extra charges that they paid for internet booking. 
26. Damn, and another one is more concerned that he has driven down from Delhi to watch this movie in Noida and has spent a lot on his petrol. He wants to know how he can be compensated. So what? even i drove down from Delhi.What is going on.
27. I see another group of college kids saying that they heard the 2D version of the movie can be played. Thankfully one of them says, screw the 2D who wants to see a 2D version. I feel happy, there is at least someone who thinks like me. Anyways i later came to know its a rumor, there is no 2D version playing, and i would never have watched it even if it were playing and they were paying me money to do that.
    
28. 10.45pm:I hang around for few more minutes hoping some miracle would happen, i loose all track of time and as time moves i loose all hope and opt to go for the same show next day. Not sure if it would work fine the next day too, i have my doubts, but i am left with no option, am stuck with BIG CINEMAS TGIP, i doubt if i will get tickets anywhere else. 
29. 10.50pm: So, i get my seat for the next days show,call Anu and tell her about the tragedy that has struck me, where do i hide my face now
    
30. I have to head home now and ALAS i have to wait another 24 hrs to watch Avatar. And the worst part, i have to repeat the first 18 steps above, this i call the 'BIG - Dhoka!'