5 Things you shouldn’t do at cinema halls

It doesn’t take more than two minutes for us to call the theatre authorities or yell at a person inside a cinema hall when we are irked by someone’s behaviour. What we don’t realise is that our behaviour may also cause trouble to fellow moviegoers. We often tend to be oblivious when we are on the other side.Here are a few strict no-nos that you should be mindful of before you decide to catch a film.
Keep mobile phones away
If you had to stay hooked to your cell phone, why did you come for the movie at all? There’s a reason why an instruction to put your mobile phone on silent mode is played at the beginning of every film. There cannot be anything worse than hearing a phone ringing in the middle of a movie. Also, the person sitting next to you might get irritated if you use your phone intermittently and the light flashes. This is bad etiquette. “I avoid going to cinema halls now as the experience is never comfortable. People either talk on the phones or check messages constantly. Recently, a bunch of youngsters kept clicking selfies throughout the movie, and when an elderly man asked them to calm down, they misbehaved with him. The show was stopped and the authorities had to intervene,” says Riya Sharma, a media professional.
If it’s urgent to attend a call, step out of the hall and do that. And if you are in the middle of an important conversation via messages, make sure the brightness of your phone is minimised.
Calm down! It’s not a private screening
Going with friends, colleagues or family in large groups may be an entertaining idea for you, but remember there are others in the hall, too. What’s fun for you may be irksome for other moviegoers. So be considerate. Keep the decibel of your voice low and follow the decorum of a movie hall. Talking at the top of your voice while the film is on isn’t a great thing to do.
Don’t sit on someone else’s seat
Gone are the days when gatecrashing was possible at cinema halls. You cannot enter the theatre today without a ticket. If a seat has been assigned to you, why not stick to it? Sitting on someone else’s seat will not only disturb you when the person actually arrives, but also irritate those around you. Imagine yourself in this situation: the movie is at an interesting point and you are asked to get up because you are sitting on a wrong seat. Nobody enjoys their view being blocked because of people strolling in front of them.
Don’t get your little ones along
Yes, we know you love your children and want them to have a good time, but cinema hall is not the best place for kids (newborns, toddlers or kids under 10). Unless it’s a film of their interest (animation, for instance), they won’t be interested in what’s being screened. They will not only disturb you throughout the movie, but also others in the hall. You might even face embarrassment when someone asks you to watch your child. “I was watching AndhaDhun recently and a kid, a six-year-old girl, was sitting next to me. She was not interested in the film at all and was constantly chatting with her mom. When I asked her mother to calm her down, she didn’t react well. In one of the strong-hitting scenes, the girl was shocked and started crying. Parents need to be careful about the movies they take their kids for,” says Andheri resident, Anuradha Tiwari.
Be civilised
Would you appreciate if you sit on your chair and there’s popcorn spilt under your feet or an empty coffee glass in the storage nook of your chair’s hand rest? No, right? Keep the same in mind when you decide to be careless inside a theatre. Throwing things around isn’t civilised behaviour. Someone else will sit on your seat in the following show, so be considerate. “Our staff barely gets 20 minutes in-between shows to clean the cinema hall, and it’s disheartening that people are so insensitive. They throw rappers of gutka, pan masala, wafers and popcorn all around. This needs to change,” says Manoj Desai, executive director of a leading multiplex chain in the city.