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Big is beautiful
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Want to bring cinema home? Then tune in to the latest trend of big screen television and home theatre, says ROHINI MOHAN
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Electronic goods manufacturers really know how to make best use of every grouse you have, and every muscle you don't want to move. And of course, every extra paise that you possess. They gave us remote controls so we never had to get off the chair, 100-plus channels so we never had to read the newspaper, and most recently, home theatres so we never have to venture out to watch a flick.
Unless you're someone who considers going to a movie hall a socialising affair, you'll be taken in by home theatres. Ragini Padhmanabhan says she watches movies — latest and the classics, on her home theatre. "Also, I watch my daughter's dance performances," she laughs. She admits that she wasn't much of a moviegoer, "because it's too much trouble", but has begun to watch more films at home of late.
Retailers in the city say the home entertainment market is booming since the advent of the DVD player. Customers, they say, feel that once a DVD player is bought, the next step is to get a large screen TV, because, come on, sprawling landscapes have to sprawl. And then they'd want to hear an exploding building really explode in their heads. The larger the screen the better. So leading manufacturers like LG, Philips, Samsung, Sony and Akai have used stepped up entertainment technology to unite greater picture quality and better sound.
They like to make you believe they're making life easier for you by presenting it all in one single package. But many people actually opt for box home theatres, an assembly of differently branded, separately purchased devices — it works out a lot cheaper than pre-assembled systems. Ragini has one such, which her husband assembled around a Thompson large-screen TV.
Supposedly, this trend isn't just about having too much money to spend, or being anti-social. Researchers all over the world say the growing sales of home systems reflects a wider social trend for people who want to spend more time in the comfort of their homes. People might not be running away from the outside world, they say, they're just saying that home is the nicest place to be. Of course, price matters (see box), and since a separate, reasonably sized room with `the works' is a pre-requisite, it is usually the upper middle class, and the more affluent section of society that even thinks about home theatre.
Movie nights
Ramani Subramaniam, an IT head honcho, says, "Initially, I'd just fitted the whole system in my living room. But then I thought, hey, I've invested so much in this thing, let me experience it to the fullest." So he dug deeper in his wallet and remodelled the rear area of his house to construct a soundproof, fully carpeted room. "I've installed a small fridge there now, but I'm going to make a little bar on the side soon. Then I can call friends over and watch movies."
`Movie nights' such as these is another phenomenon that's catching on quick. One person brings the DVDs, one the junk food and the nibbles, and the others just plain land up. And since there's no fixed `show time', "Sorry I'm late da, my bike wouldn't start" will only elicit some yelling — you don't have to miss the beginning of the movie.
However, all movie fans (especially those who think the whistling and clapping audience is integral to the cinema watching experience) will not agree that bringing cinema home is particularly appealing. "Imagine watching Lagaan at home — even on a giant screen with surround sound — can you replicate the mad applause there was in the theatre when Aamir Khan belted the British fellows in the cricket match?" asks Ramani's friend, architect Deepak Mahesh, vehemently. But he too admits that he keeps "brainwashing" his "better-off friend" to rent DVDs of foreign films and late releases.
Although it is often considered a status symbol to own a home theatre, there are many who keep it under wraps. Reason One: It is a proof of wealth; the kind of proof tax authorities get excited about. Reason Two: It's an excuse for you to buy/encourage buying of pirated CDs and DVDs, and there might be embarrassing raids on your home purely on grounds of suspicion. So even those who admit they own home theatres repeat with increasing emphasis that they buy "only originals". Oh well, it's tough to choose between watching big-screen movies and watching your back all the time.
Star attractionm
ALTHOUGH HOME theatres are now sought by anyone with the means to buy it, its earliest adopters were from the film industry. Actors cannot always be disguising themselves as commoners when they visit a cinema to watch their latest release in full glory (or full horror, depending on the actor). While Kamal Hassan has a Hollywood style mini-theatre at home (that seats about 20 people), many others, like Silambarasan and Surya, own home theatres they can view their movies on without the crowds to mob them.
Cinematographers and directors are the other big buyers of home theatres. Ravi Varman, cinematographer for "Autograph", "Phir Milenge", "Armaan", etc., says it's not convenient to go to the studio to watch what he shot on site, and a home theatre gives him the peace and quiet to do this. "I cut all the dialogue, and watch the whole film in silent mode. It helps me realise where dialogue is absolutely unnecessary, where I should enhance the scenery, etc." However, he admits that for a full-length movie the "home theatre never has the effect of a movie theatre."
Another case for the home entertainment unit seems to be that it supports films in digital format. Increasingly, this format is popular for home productions and low-budget films, but many cinema halls in the city do not have the equipment to project such films without compromising on quality.
Cost factor
HOME THEATRES used to cost anything from Rs. 80,000 to a whopping Rs. 20 lakhs in 2002. The target audience was largely supposed to be the middle-aged male from a nuclear family. But with increasing demand for the home theatre system, prices have dropped drastically. A 21-inch or 29-inch flat screen with integrated DVD player, built-in amplifier, compact sub woofer, rear sounds, and 5.1 Theatre surround sound technology, will cost you between Rs. 25,000 and Rs. 35,000. This is all available at half the price on online auction websites. But if you're not in a mood for a little risk, you'd be better off heading to a company retail store or an electronics store.
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