Bringing audiences in cinema hall back
Dr. Md. Shamsul Arefin :
The greatest use of cinema is that it is a good means of recreation which breaks the monotony of life. In our young age, we saw that people watched movie very often in a local cinema hall with friends, family or classmates and enjoyed the cinema which was a great source of conversation for at least next one week on the dialogue of hero or heroine or any other subjects that they enjoyed much. All classes of people including laborers, businessmen, students, teachers who are tired of the day’s work found a great change and relaxation in a cinema hall. People were thrilled to see various scenes on the screen and were very joyful to hear sweet songs. Sometimes they sang a song and thought themselves as a hero of the film. The comic part in the film removed the fatigue and worries of the people. Can we not try for getting back those sweet days?
We have a long tradition of film making and watching fascination. People in this age of Facebook, YouTube or OTT or Netflix platform still want to enjoy watching movie in the local cinema hall if they find a congenial atmosphere in hall. The cinema helps us to escape, for a while, from the worries and anxieties of life. It relieves us of tension and provides us relaxation. We know that the students of today are the citizens of tomorrow and thus by showing them good movies, we can build the good character of students and broaden their outlook. Cinema leaves a permanent and a deep impression on the minds of the people especially the young ones. Cinema can be instrumental in bringing about much needed social, cultural improvements in our society. Social films show the evils of dowry, child marriage, drug addiction etc. and exhort the people to give up these evils in their own interest. Disgraceful and unlawful acts happen when people have no choice for amusement or refreshed mindset for patriotism.
But those days, from the poorest to the richest people were fond of watching the cinema. Late night shows were full of hawkers, rickshaw-pullers and day laborers who worked whole day and enjoyed at night by watching movie. Matinee shows are patronized by the students who find a cinema hall a more interesting and less boring place. The actors and producers of those days did the job to serve their high taste for art not for money and reputation. Producers formed their ideas after careful study and research so that societies cannot be wrongly influenced. This entertainment industry for a long time, created a massive impact on people in order to give a break from monotony. In rejuvenating the mind of a person, it had no alternatives and it connected and created a scope for socialization of people. People often discussed cinema as a start of a conversation. Moreover, it was also very interesting to talk about rather than politics and sports which is often divided.
Bangladesh started its journey of own film production with the silent film “Bless the World” by Jotish Banerjee during British period. The first full-length feature film with sound was produced by Abdul Jabbar Khan was Mukh O Mukhosh (face and musk), which was released in 1956. People often loved watching movie in cinema hall and discussing dialogue of the movies round the week. It means they had at least some topics to discuss.
Many characters of film become role models, which mean that young begin to imitate their actions and behaviors. Movies help youngsters to see the difference between good and evil. A lot of movies have important life lessons. For example, science-fiction movies can also teach young audiences on thrill, climax etc. It’s easier to understand how things work differently when we imagine them, but by visualization in a cinema hall together, we memorize acts more emotionally.
Cinema is a way of showing the world from the perspective of the present situation which inspires people to broaden their thinking and imagination within a real-life experience. Cinema also teaches us things in terms of practical life. Nowadays the youths have income but no space for positive recreation. This may be one of the reasons why they are getting addicted.
With the intervention of new technology, people’s choice has been changed. New platforms like the “Over The Top” (OTT) media service or Netflix that offers directly to viewers via the internet to watch movies in their electronic devices, outside of the theatre hall has also created new challenge for the cinema hall’s owners. To bring the audiences back to the cinema halls, a revitalization in the film industry is necessary.
Bringing viewers in Cinema hall back, one of the best strategies may be explored to choose, that the viewers can be selected for an Award with monetary benefit who can answers of tricky 1st, 2nd and 3rd questions after watching the film in a cinema hall with a proof of ticket. Filmmakers may target audiences and initiate research about people’s choices. Copy right laws can be stringently implemented by the law enforcers so that film makers have a complete courage and trust to invest in making films.
(The writer is Adjunct Faculty, Bangladesh Institute of Governance and Management).
