A Subliminal LOSS

Over the last decade, the filmmaking and film-watching cultures have transitioned from celluloid to digital. The new tech has provided us several gains, but shouldn't we also pause to consider what we've lost?

- Tanul Thakur

ONCE upon a time, going to cinemas approximated a religious experience. Like devotees seeking darshan, cinephiles left their homes, reached the theatres, and hoped to get tickets. The ritual involved anticipation, thrills, and questions: What if the balcony rows are full? What if the entire show is sold out? What if the ‘black tickets’ are exorbitant? They all meant one thing: a lack of control. Because whether you arrived early or late, felt rushed or relaxed, the show would start on time. Like a darshan. And that lack of control persisted during the screening. Found a movie boring? Too bad, can’t skip forward. Felt like taking a break? Too bad, stay put. Want to watch something else? You know where the door is.

But now, if you’ve to book tickets for a theatrical release, you don’t even need to move: a few taps on the phone, an app, a few more taps, and that’s it. With the explosion of multiplexes, you’re almost always guaranteed a seat. Or, even better, now the wells woo the parched: theatres meet you on your phone, laptop, and iPad, screening films across countries, genres, and decades. If a movie is too slow, you tap “+10”; you can skip subplots, replay scenes, pause and play in chunks—across days, even months—or switch to something else that lulls you to sleep. It’s all too easy, all too convenient: digital has replaced darshan.