Cutting the Chai has moved to a new domain: cuttingthechai.com.
You can get in touch with Soumyadip at www.soumyadip.com.

Monday, December 05, 2005

To Cut a Long Nose Short

Complementary tickets are something that many of us look forward to. The reason isn't only the money saving part but also a feeling of exclusivity. But on the dawning of the fact that half of the auditorium consists of freeloaders not very different from you, the latter feeling vaporises. Only when the free pass is that elusive one for an Indo-Pak cricketing encounter, some lack of exclusivity does no serious harm.

This wasn't the battle of the estranged siblings, but a story of a puppet with the most famous nose in the world (real or imaginary) - Pinocchio. A supposed musical extravaganza at the Indira Gandhi Stadium. It wasn't the ever-increasing length of his nose that baffled me, but it was the instructions on the rear of the ticket prohibiting almost everything from babies and books to bombs. Being the 'law-abiding' citizen that I am (never got caught), I dutifully left even my inseparable mobile phone back home.

All through the performance by innumerable school kids and plenty of grownups - mobiles kept ringing and babies kept wailing. Almost all the forbidden activities took place with impunity. Even some bombs went off, albeit onstage. I cursed myself - if only I had my mobile, I could atleast keep myself interested with some games. The lackadaisical direction and script took the shine away from the splendid performance of the kids. Only Zakir Hussain's music lived upto the expectations.

Thanks, I said to the sponsors for the complimentary tickets. Or I would have been cursing myself. Though a few hours without the mobile vibrating in my pocket was a welcome experience.

6 Comments:

aklanta said...

NEWS: "Pawar BCCI" is going to reduce the number of complementary tickets...

Abaniko said...

Even if tickets were all for sale but mobile phones will keep on ringing and babies, wailing, it's the same headache altogether. Good thing yours was free. At least.

AquaM said...

I personally think Mobile phones are an abs nuisance..ppl misuse them all the time,theatres..programmes....grrrr I try n avoid carrying my mobile as much as I can..
and ZAKIR HUSSAIN....need I say anythign...however have u herad DRUMS SHIVAMANI n ZAKIR together???

CYa
AQUAM

Accidental Fame Junkie said...

All I say is you are lucky that you can go to a show at all with or without a cell phone. It's raining like crazy in the south of the country and all social activities have been put on hold!

Anonymous said...

Nice !! I would love to sit through a Zakir Hussain Show..

dwaipayan said...

i love the complimentary tickets for movies. won them twice only