Movie buffs relive 70’s nostalgia

Thiruvananthapuram: Popcorn, push-back seats and online ticketing are not the only things that attract movie-goers. They can now relive the experience of a good old single screen cinema hall with a 70’s projector and wooden benches at ‘model cinema kottaka’ at Bharat Bhavan, Thycaud.
Prem Nazir Suhrith Samithi, Kerala Chalachithra Academy and Bharat Bhavan have come up with the initiative.The Prem Nazir film festival is being hosted there.
The event is being organized in connection with the 30th death anniversary of Prem Nazir, which will be observed on January 16.
Deputy speaker V Sasi who is also the chief patron of Prem Nazir Suhrith Samithi inaugurated the five-day festival on Friday at Bharat Bhavan. Prem Nazir’s first heroine Neyyattinkara Komalam, Bharat Bhavan member secretary Pramod Payyanur, Kerala Chalachitra Academy secretary Mahesh Panju, vice-president of Prem Nazir Suhrith Samithi Panachamoodu Shahjahan and T P Sasthamangalam attended the ceremony.
The cinema kottaka gives visitors a chance to watch the movie by sitting on the ground like how it was back in time. The theatre also has three tickets priced at 75 paisa for ground seats, Rs 1.5 for bench seats and Rs 3 for chair seats. There is a 10-minute interval during which the viewers can head to the tea shack which features a retrospective ambience with old movie posters, music books and goli sodas.
Pramod Payyanur, said, “It will take you on a nostalgic trip and audiences can enjoy Prem Nazir movies in an ambience like the olden days. All efforts have been made to ensure a retro experience”.
He added that a group of advocates above the age of 40 attended a screening and even though there were empty chairs they sat on the ground since it brought back fond memories of the past.
The kick of reliving the golden days is now a trend. A lot of youngsters have been attending the event as it offers the real 70’s vibe. The participation and feedback so far have been positive and beyond our expectation,” he said.
Movies of Nazir will be screened on all festival days at 6pm. Agniputhri, Rest House, Kannapan Unni, Padayottam and Aromal Unni are the films which will be screened at the fest. The festival will conclude on Tuesday.