bookmyshow’s 3.0 Red Lorry Film Festival, 2026, 2: Second ride
bookmyshow’s 3.0 Red Lorry Film Festival, 2026, 2: Second ride
Location sorted out. Season pass obtained. A determination to see as many films as possible on the remaining two days of bookmyshow’s 3.0 Red Lorry Film Festival, 2026, at least three, preferably four, each day. But there was one hitch. The INOX multiplex at BKC is situated in one of Mumbai’s most upmarket areas, where a meal could cost Rs. 1,500-Rs. 2,000 and mere snacks and beverages, Rs. 5,00-1,500. Of course, we could always have breakfast at home and only then leave for the venue. But, clubbing lunch, evening snacks and dinner, at Jio World Plaza, we could end up spending Rs. 4,000 in a day. That was a strict no-no. We journalists can ill-afford to spend that kind of money. So what was the alternative?
One alternative was to have lunch in a restaurant faraway, before reaching the venue, and try and find a place where one could buy affordable snacks and drinks in the evening. Dinner could be postponed till around midnight, which is when one would reach home, after seeing the last film. So, I had lunch at a non-descript joint and arrived at INOX Maison, BKC, only at about 2 pm.
Outside the entrance to the cinema lobby, I met the PRO. She gave me a complimentary coupon for lunch, redeemable at the INOX concessionaire. I learnt that she had distributed such coupons to journalists even on Friday. Why was I denied the same on the first day, I wondered! Yes, I came late, but she could still give me the coupon. And what irony, that on the second day, she was offering a lunch coupon, after I had taken my lunch. Anyway, journalists cannot be choosers. The lunch coupon was received, and I presented it at the counter. In exchange, I was given a sealed, packed dish, which I decided to open only later, since I had just had lunch an hour ago. But when I did open it, in the evening, and tried to eat, it was almost inedible.
Never mind, I said to myself, and decided to consume cinema instead. Having had a disappointing start to my viewing with This Tempting Madness, which I had watched the day before, I was looking forward to better films on Day 2. Ramgopal Verma’s Bhoot (Ghost), his 2003 supernatural nod to The Exorcist (1973), a cult classic in the horror genre, was the one I picked. I was not in India when Bhoot was released, and did not hear or read anything about it, even after my return to Mumbai, in 2004. Brushing-up my awareness of Ramgopal ‘Ramu’ Varma, I dug out the following facts: It is the second horror film made by him, after Raat. The film was perceived to be different from a typical Hindi film, as it did not feature any of the 9 songs composed for it. Bhoot was later dubbed in Telugu, as 12 Va Anthasthu, and remade in Tamil, as Shock. It was a box-office hit. Urmila Matondkar, who played the lead, a woman who is possessed, won several accolades and awards for her performance. Over the years, it has been considered one of the best Bollywood horror films of all time. Verma also made a sequel, called Bhoot Returns, which was released in 2012. Either audiences in 2004 were gullible and lacked film awareness, or I deserve to do another refresher course in film appreciation. Bhoot is, and should have been, a dud, even in 2003.
Two false moves, and I was beginning to go down into the dumps, when Gregory Peck and Audrey Hepburn made my day. I had seen William Wyler’s Roman Holiday sometime in the 70s, and did not remember much about the film, except for a couple of scenes, particularly American Reporter Peck, taking Princess Hepburn, on a scooter pillion ride tour of Rome. Made in 1953, it has stood the test of time, and the restored print helped a lot in making it eminently watchable. Amazingly, in a press conference, some of the issues put to the princess by the reporters, about world issues in post-war Europe, sounded so contemporary.
So, the Bhoot of This Tempting Madness had been exorcised. But now it was evening, my stomach was rumbling. Asking around, I managed to reach a hole-in-the-wall spot, some 200 metres away from Jio World Plaza, where I could buy some snacks at reasonable rates, and even got myself a cup of tea. Now, I was good enough to go for another 3-4 hours.
Long queues greeted me on my return to the multiplex. It was Saturday evening, and the capacity of the auditoria at INOX Maison varied from around 60 to 160, totalling 882, for all 6 cinemas. That ruled me out for the film of my choice, Case 137, which had already attracted a serpentine queue. Taking a chance, I asked the organisers whether they could make an exception and allow me, a critic, to get entry, on priority. That was not possible, they replied, but then they made an offer that was unbelievable. “If you are so keen on seeing this film, we will hold a special show, only for you, after the last show on Sunday night, around 11.30 pm.” Hearing is believing! Thanks, but no thanks. I did not want royal treatment, nor did I want to reach home at 2 am, after the film ended, which would be around 1.30 am. However, the consideration shown by the bookmyshow team towards the media was exceptional and exemplary.
Consequently, instead of Case 137, I had to settle for Dead of Winter, where I was possibly the last one to be admitted into the hall, making it HouseFull. I don’t know anything about Case 137, but my choice of Dead of Winter proved to be truly worthy. This Emma Thompson starrer, which also has her as Executive Producer, was among the best films I have seen in recent times. It is really sad that it did not get the reception it deserved, when it was released, in September last year. With just four main characters, and the endless snow of its Finland location, the psychological thriller, with a highly imaginative plot, most realistic execution, was an ideal way to end my day. From just one film on the first day, I had graduated to three on the second. My target for the last day was four, even after a late night dinner (11.30 pm) on Saturday, I hoped to cope with the crowds and queues with really tough resilience.
Watch this space.
