The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : `Goblet of Fire' casts a spell

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Nov 19, 2005

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

`Goblet of Fire' casts a spell

Kannal Achuthan

Crowd in theatres spills over to the aisle

CHENNAI: Rowling's magic struck Chennai on Friday, with eager fans thronging theatres to catch Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.

The film seems to have become an instant success, as many die-hard Potter followers who managed to get passes for the premiere on Thursday night also went on Friday for the general first-day release. The theatre, during the premiere screening, was packed to capacity with crowds spilling over to the aisles.

The audience sat riveted throughout: From the time Voldemort's black mark appears on the sky to the nail-biting finish where Harry battles with the newly-risen Dark Lord. Actors Kasturi, Swarnamalya and Poornima Bhagyaraj were there, as were actor Vivek and his wife and children, Tejaswini and Amrita Varshini. Fans who have read the book are likely to enjoy the movie more than those who have not, as it is easier to comprehend the undercurrents - as when Ron is upset that Hermione agrees to be Victor Krum's dance partner for the Yule Ball.

A factor sure to appeal to the audience is the appearance of Shefali Chowdhry and Afshan Azad as the Patil sisters. Shefali (Parvati Patil) even has a dance sequence wearing a traditional lehenga choli in magenta and orange! The visual effects and animation are remarkable, fans note, especially when the Beauxbatons' ship dips smoothly underwater and the Durmstrangs' chariot flies into the horizon. The movie is on at three cinema houses and its Tamil dubbed version Harry Potterum Maya Theekopaium is being screened at six theatres.

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