Good looking, talented actor Garima Goel who is leading a Facebook movement against
Maharashtra-based multiplexes’ policy of not allowing food inside the cinema hall, is quite
disappointed with the state government’s about-turn in court yesterday, when it said that outside food can’t be allowed inside due to security reasons.
“This is really funny, for when outside food can be allowed inside high-security airports, why not into theatres, which anyways screen our bags to ban outside food? Sadly, today, security is used to justify anything,” says Garima, who mostly does episodic shows like Crime Patrol, CID, etc.
“I actually expected the government to come up with which food can be allowed, e.g. no dal-roti; but they ended up reinforcing status quo,” says Garima, who is in talks for a daily soap as well. Her last running show was Pyaar Ka Dard Hai Meetha Meetha Pyaara Pyaara.
“The Government now wants us to talk to multiplexes to reduce food rates. The latter has already slashed prices by 20%, but for non-peak hours and only on weekdays. So that makes the exercise redundant for most cine-goers.”
Garima, who denies the allegation that she is joining the agitation for publicity, says, “I am an ardent cine watcher, and this exorbitant pricing had been pinching my pocket for a while. I did not have an agenda when I first put my video back in June. The fact that I went viral means that I had a point right.”
“PVR cinema is not letting me shoot near their properties now. I was informed that they have watched my video and are taking appropriate action.”
So what is the way forward? “The only solution I see is boycotting the food and beverages. We can eat before and after the show. This will indeed spoil the cinema experience for us, but that is the fault of the multiplex operators who are forcing us down this road.”
She does not support the other extreme of boycotting cinema per se. “I am a movie-lover myself. Cinemas earn 30% of their profits from food and beverages, which is no small amount.”
When asked about the response to her video, she says, “I have got a lot of public support. Sadly, most actor friends, who too feel the pinch, don’t come out publically, though many have sent me personal messages, expressing their support.”
Garima also has a separate YouTube channel called Garima’s Good Life.
In closing, Garima says, “This high-handedness of multiplex owners will eventually backfire on the entire industry, for it fuels piracy. Today, ticket prices on weekends go up to Rs 500, plus, if you add food, you come back poorer by 2 grand. This might force some to log on to torrents for their cinema fix.”
We can only wait for time to see how the public reacts to this development.
