3 x 2 Idiots

This is not about the Amir Khan starrer 3 Idiots (which I am sure most of you would have watched till now). It’s about the experience which 3 x 2 = 6 people (Me included) had between 26^th and 27^th December and I thought it worth to share with you all.

On 25^th evening 6 of us (Sorry, I can’t disclose all the namesJ) decided to go to Shivasamundaram for a one day excursion. It was a long weekend that too the last weekend of 2009, and it seems that the whole of Bangalore has decided to go out – we couldn’t get any vehicle, and had to cancel the trip. The mood was down. Two “long days” were staring at us and none of us had anything to do. As a solace, I proposed watching movie, and the obvious and unanimous choice was “3 Idiots”.

I took the responsibility of booking the tickets and searched all online booking sites for availability. Lo there were no tickets available in any of the multiplexes – PVR, INOX, Innovative, Fun Cinemas… all were booked till last seat and last show. Does this means we are going to idle away the whole day doing nothing (you hardly have any choices in Bangalore during weekends), but then I saw a glimmer of hope. Suddenly, out of nowhere, I was seeing 6 vacant seats at Fun Cinemas for the 5:00 PM show. May be Jesus too felt bad on our plight and thought of cheering us with this generous gift. I immediately booked the tickets and called up all my friends, confirming the date and timing – 26^th December, 5:00 PM show.

The excitement and feeling of getting bored at home drove us to the theatre much ahead of time and all of us were there by 4:00 PM – 1 hour before the scheduled time!! We ended up this one hour discussing all sort of things – “3 Idiots” included. And then it was time to enter the theater, we stepped in with much excitement, bought popcorns and coke and headed straight to the theater. I showed my tickets to the staff and we took our seats – N9 to N14. Even before the trailers started, we were on our seats having popcorn and sipping coke.

The first advertisement slide was flashed on screen; this was followed by a national anthem. We stood and sung the anthem and then the upcoming movie trailer started. The first trailers were of “Rann” (the forthcoming Ram Gopal Verma movie) and believe me; in the excitement of watching “3 Idiots” we were enjoying this too. The trailer almost came to an end, when a couple came and told one of our friends (sitting at one of the ends) that seat N11 and N12 is theirs. How this can be true, the couple must have mistaken the row number, after all the light was dim inside the theater, and such mistake is quite obvious.

By then it was turn of Reliance advertisement with “All is well theme” the movie was about to start and this couple was unnecessarily bothering us. My friend stood up and asked to get their tickets re-checked with the theater staff. They had no options so they went to the staff members enquiring the details. In the meantime the next trailer of “Veer” came up. Along with the trailer came the theater staff, but we were least bothered to even to listen to him. But then someone has to represent our side in that unnecessary talk, so I came out of my seat as the representative (after all it was Salman’s trailer – the perfect 2 minutes to waste on such trivial issues).

I once again asked the couple “Are you in the correct screen? The same movie is going on in screen 3, please check your tickets” – another common error people commit in multiplexes. By this time the theater staff was checking our tickets and the last trailer before the start of movie was about to end. I was slowly reaching my boiling point, and then I heard a mumbling sound of the theater staff:

Theater staff (TS): Hmmm… the seat numbers are same!!

(I thought of saying – Thanks for the discovery)

Me: What kind of systems do you have? You can’t even issue correct tickets and you are running a multiplex! Who gave you the permissions?

TS: Sir, I think there is some problem, I need to check the tickets from our system, can you come with us?

Me: Why should I come with you? If there is any issue then go and solve it. Its your problem. (My tone rising with every word). I have paid the money and I want to watch the movie without any disturbance, do you understand that?

By then the last trailer was also over. The movie was about to begin. I was about to burst as a volcano on the theater staff, and then something happened. Something I never even thought of.

The theater staff said – Sir, you have entered the wrong show. Wrong show? What do you mean by wrong show? For a moment I thought I overheard the staff in the background sound, but then he reiterated – Sir, your ticket is not for today’s show. You have bookings for 27^th December – 5:00 PM show and today its 26^th December. You have entered the wrong show.

I checked the ticket, he was right.

His words banged our eardrums as if a scud missile has passed by our ears. We turned back towards the theater staff… “3 Idiots” started on the screen in front of us… and we (3x2) idiots were looking back – showing our back to the screen. Infact at that moment everyone around us was looking in our direction. Suddenly the popcorn became cold and stale, the coke tasted bitter and we were groping for words. Now what to do? Then one of our friends tried to “Patao” the theater staff asking to arrange for some seats (typical “Delhiwala”, forgot that this is Bangalore – I said to myself). At this time others were going through a series of mixed reaction – from embarrassment to anger to surprise and loss.

I was dumbstruck.

Now the casting appeared on the screen, but everyone (well almost everyone) was looking at us – somehow 3x2 idiots was more interesting than 3 idiots – we were doomed. We looked at each other, and a silent understanding spread across our mind, the best move was to leave the place, before a scene is created. We started to move out, with popcorn and coke bottles in our hand. I saw a contended smile on that couple’s face – they took their revenge. By the time we reached the exit door I heard a round of laughter erupting from the audience, I think they were laughing at us, maybe not. They might be laughing at something else (this is what I later told my friends to make them feel good). Whatever, it might be, we were moving out silently, and I was thinking of how to face my friends once we were out. I started thinking of excuses and explanations, but nothing came to my mind. It was a terrible mistake and that too with set of people who were already down with the way events had unfolded since last night.

We came out and silently sat in a cafeteria. I got some tea/coffee to calm the nerves, and then started the next round of discussion. I was obviously the free target, and I obliged by not defending myself. We discussed more such incidents which had happened with others in the group.

After spending about an hour, I asked if everyone is coming for tomorrow (27^th December 5:00 PM show) show. And to my surprise everyone was ready. The charm of Amir and the hype of 3 Idiots did the trick, and I was saved (I had booked all the tickets and it was my money at stake).

The “3x2 idiots” came back on 27^th December to watch the 5:00 PM show of “3 Idiots”.

Wish you all a very HAPPY NEW YEAR. Will catch you again with some more nonsense in 2010. Till then enjoy