First day, first show: Romancing the balcony

the room is dimly-lit, there''s butter popcorn on your lap, a drink on one side and someone special on the other. the better part of the day is behind you and your favourite celluloid star right in front. you''ve just come home to the movies. big screen or small, there''s nothing like taking in a really good movie before packing one''s bags for dreamland.one similarity between the capital''s glitterati and the movies is that both are larger than life. not surprisingly, like poles attract --- delhi''s movers are all shook up about the movies. all shook up by the movies she certainly is, but interior designer michelle vadra would rather be stirred than shaken by the movies. if one talks of horror movies, michelle talks of being sleepless in the capital. she prefers going to bed feeling mushy mushy after seeing a romantic movie than having to worry about `did i hear footsteps behind my door?''. ``i love going to the movies, especially if a thriller or romantic film is being screened. horror movies, however, i can do without. i''m not particularly fond of shivers down my spine,'''' she says. joining vadra in keeping a safe distance from the spooky stuff is choreographer tania lefebvre. but not because horror phillums leave her shivering in the aisles. just the contrary. ``they are very unrealistic. all these goofy films in which bodies fall apart are funny to say the least. how is one supposed to be scared if the movie is not convincing,'''' she says. lefebvre, by her own admission, is a die-hard romantic. but this doesn''t prevent her from enjoying murder mysteries. incidentally, she''s also the happily-ever-after type when it comes to movie plots. if you''ve started getting ideas that only the ladies keep horror movies at an arm''s length, it''s time for a rethink. model pravin sirohi is yet another anti-horror loyalist. for him, all movies light and beautiful are fine, ``but complicated movies which one has to discuss after the show is over are a big no-no. my philosophy is that one should leave the theatre light and cheerful, not serious about a serious movie. romantic thrillers and govinda-ish movies are my cup of tea,'''' he says. well, to each his own. the capital''s 70-mm glitterati screen is big enough to accommodate everybody''s taste buds. but the big picture which seems to have emerged is that saadi dilli''s jetset crowd loves a roman(ce) holiday.