The feel thing

Orama brings 4D cinema to Mumbai even as its owner makes bigger plans for new-age amusement.

It may be too early to talk about how Anckur Choksey will recover the Rs 6 crore that he's invested in Orama, Mumbai's first 4D theatre, but the 35-year-old is confident of a headstart in what he calls "the new cinema experience" "" with water sprays, airjet ruffles, seat vibrations and other atmospheric effects to enhance the cinematic experience (as Spice offers in Noida).

If all goes by plan, Choksey will pump in nearly Rs 45 crore by the end of this year in Mumbai, Ahmedabad and Gurgaon, where he's hoping to lure Indians to his new-age entertainment zones.

In Ahmedabad, he will "recreate the magic of south Africa's Cape Town", while in Gurgaon and Mumbai he will open 4D cinema halls.

He's also eyeing 55 acres of land in Mumbai's Mulund area. "If that deal comes through," he says, "I will introduce state-of-the art amusement rides, 4D format theatres, a safari and an underwater feature similar to Sentosa in Singapore."

Indians, he reckons, are ready for myriad new forms of entertainment, and are willing to pay for it. "It's exciting," promises Choksey. Films in 4D format are typically in English and of 15-20 minutes, crafted mostly to show off the effects, and at much expense too (around ¤5,000 per minute, in Choksey's estimate).

In Haunted Castle, a frog-leap on the screen is accompanied by a water spurt on your seat, a lightning flash gives your face a wind blast, and an owl's appearance has a flutter behind your ears. That's not all. In a forest scene, a faint woody smell permeates the hall, as it fogs up. Foam, leg ticklers, vibrators, snow "" enough to rivet viewers, feels Choksey. Even at Rs 150 per ticket.

Is 4D cinema here to stay? Choksey is confident, but other film exhibitors are not so sure. Deepak Saluja, vice-president, Fun Cinema, sees it as a bad business model: "Only 4-5 films release in a year in this format, and the investments are huge. I don't think it can click."

Choksey agrees that it's tough to find films. But, "I'll be releasing 12-15 films including 4-5 documentaries by the end of the year. Also, full length films like Superman Returns are also coming out with 20 minutes of special effects in 4D format."

Most would agree that cinema for the Indian cinema-goer is about feelings "" just what kind, the brave new 4D merchants may take some time working out.