Daddy & Mommy in 1971

In 1970s mother was posted at Rohtak as the district PRO. Her office and the residence were adjoining, a door separating the two. In the dull evenings, we three sisters would pester our parents to take us out and we would go to a movie theatre. My school was situated about three to four kms from home and there were four to five cinema theatres on both sides of the road leading to the school. At 2.30 pm when Guria and I travelled back home in the rickshaw, we curiously turned our necks around for new movie posters. Guria and I studied in Vidya Niketan school where as Neetu was in Vaish High school. When the movie Rickshaw wala was released starring Neetu Singh, a brand new shiny rickshaw festooned with balloons and ribbons adorned the roof of the theatre.

On reaching home, we would barge into mother’s cabin to rant out the names of new releases. Father was a professor in the University (which was the regional centre of Punjab University) and was home by afternoon anyway. 6 pm show was the obvious choice as mother would be done with her meetings by then but on those rare days, when the work load was lighter, she would give in and we would watch the 4 pm show. Quickly she would call the DC to seek his permission and then instruct her subordinates to reach out to her at the particular theatre in case of any urgent work.

On learning that DPRO madam has come to the theatre with her family, the manager would swing into action ushering us to the box room reserved for VIPs. While our parents focused on the big screen, our eyes would be glued to the door of the box room. Then the door would creak open and we would first spot the aluminum tray bearing plates of Samosas and then the bearer of the tray. After some time, sweet juicy rasgullas followed, tea for the adults and juice for the children later. We sisters didn’t understand much of the movie; it were the snacks which were captivating. Mother made sure that nothing was complementary for her and her entourage – neither the tickets nor the snacks.

1997: Nikhil, our first born

Fast forward to three decades later: In Bangalore, after marriage, my obsession with cinema continued with movies taking precedence over samosas. Interestingly Rajiv was even fonder than me so he didn’t need any cajoling. He would be ready before me. Nikhil, our precocious three years was forced to accompany us. That evening when the family had a movie date, the child was kept awake during the day so that he would sleep in the theatre. In the interval hot dogs, popcorns, chips and other snacks were brought as a reward for the little one for allowing us to watch the movie peacefully.

At home, when Rajiv and I would still be contemplating watching a movie, Nikhil would start jumping with joy; he would coax us, pester us and would not stop until we have bought the tickets.

‘Only three years old and so much interest in movies! Not good for a child,’ I voiced out my annoyance at Rajiv. When the father feigned indifference, I addressed the son.

‘Nikhil, what do you like the most in a movie?’ I asked with an intention to understand my child.

He looked up from the heap of blocks he was playing with. ‘Interval!’