IF CINEMA THEATRES WERE CLOSED DOWN

Outline: Introduction – popularity of the film – the results: financial loss to the theatre owners, no posters, no film songs on the wireless etc. – effects on the college students – no black – marketing of cinema tickets – even “certificate movies” would be thrown overboard – conclusion.

Nothing would surprise a person more than the idea of the closing down of cinema theatres. Many people would say: “God save the day these theatres closed down!”

Movies have always been the talk of the town, one may say; for they have attracted both the young and the old, from far and near. The cinema is a favourite pastime when people get together. They discuss the films they have seen the previous week-end, or the previous evening.

Cinema theatres, especially in big cities and towns, are ever increasing. It is difficult to say what would happen if all these picture houses were to be closed down. However, one feels that the very first thing would be financial loss to the theatre owners. But hardly does one stop to think that by going to the cinema, one often spends a lot of money or something that is mostly trash. Talking of the films shown these days, very few of them have any educative value. Most of them are obscene. And our Indian films are jam-packed with cheap thrills, impossible situations, and, above all, dream-world.

If cinema theatres were closed down, one would never get to see one’s matinee idols and the curvaceous beauties on the posters all along the roadsides. Our radios would be long-lost friends without theirs lilting songs of Lata, Alka, Rafi and Udit.

Students, usually the college crowds, are known to disappear from their college premises and appear in the cinema theatres, using their favourite excuse that Mrs. Thomas or Mr. Topiwala is so dull. When a film for adults is screened, boys and girls from schools and colleges go to see it, even though they are underage. Most of these films affect their minds and they fall a prey to all kinds of vices. This is when their poor parents are blamed. Theatres alone cannot be blamed for this, in fact the exposure to the non-desirable for children is far greater through the television.

Bad characters buy tickets and sell them at an exorbitant price, especially on such occasions when the demand for the particular film is pretty high. This is an evil practice, popularly known as black-marketing. If the cinema theatres were closed down, this evil practice would be wiped out. 

Even some “U certificate movies “(thanks to our Censor Board) are crammed with cold-blooded murders, bank robberies, gang fights, open sex and so on. Such films encourage the young, immature minds to develop in the wrong way. If movie theatres were down, it would hardly make any difference to children who are bent on watching such films as they watch them on Television or through the videos.

It is true that one goes to the movies to entertain oneself and to drive away the worries of everyday life. One may find peace, no doubt; however, movies may put in one’s mind certain evil thoughts. As a matter of fact, one could find many forms of entertainment, other than the movies. But that would be possible only if the cinema theatre were closed down.