The Big Event

Plan A

As of usual, I kept staring at my Facebook group’s page. I t was mostly filled with video links being posted by an Italian woman. By the way, I forgot to mention what the group was all about. I had formed this group called Avatar- The Ultimate Visual Effects Extravaganza [And I am not exaggerating there!], around 4 months back with the sole purpose of promoting the movie. I wanted to go for the movie so damn badly but at the same time I didn’t want to go alone. So I decided to call a few of my close mates and go for the movie. Initially it was decided to watch the movie on Thursday at Festival Cinemas, but later it was postponed to Friday, as many of them had tuitions on that day. Even among those who were coming, few people were sceptical to the point where one of them calling it one with ‘Blue people making out!’ With the people having given their confirmations, it looked easy to organise such a thing. But I never gave any thought to transportation. All I knew was that we could get a bus from Dubai, and go to Festival City. It seemed all so easy, and that was where everything started to fall into pieces!

Plan B

Even during the next week, few were a bit hesitant to come for the movie, but I still stuck firmly with my decision. As mentioned before, we had planned to go to Festival Cinemas and plans were made accordingly. The plan was to meet in Ghusais and then get a bus to that place. Accompanying me were Shreerag and his sister, Zubin and his brother, Subin, Sreyas, Karthik and my brother. So I notified the gang to bring the cash by the coming Thursday so that I could book the tickets online and avoid the long queues, if any. And then on Thursday i.e., the day before the planned day, Aditya, one of my classmates tells me that Festival Cinemas has the Digital 3D screenings of Avatar at Grand Festival was only at two session the timings of which were very uncomfortable to us. So we had to shift the venue to Ibn Batutta. Again transport wasn’t given any thought and at first look seemed very easy. But we never think about the upcoming transport crisis!

Plan C

All throughout the week I had been damn excited about the movie. All throughout the week I had been working my head out for a solution for the transport problem. Shreerag and I chatted constantly via Facebook working out plan, but none worked out, Even by Wednesday we had no clear cut plan as to how to get there. But I assured them I would sort it out. I told them to bring the cash on Thursday, because I needed the tickets was my only aim. Transportation was secondary, but sometimes we reach at some awful conclusions!!

Plan D

And on Thursday, the day on which I was supposed to book the tickets, my internet connection developed some kind of technical glitch and even sitting with it for over two hours did not do any good. So I called up Shreerag and asked him to book the tickets for us and he politely obliged [ I had expected him to explode over the phone but luckily it didn’t happen]. But transportation was stll a problem with no solutions formulated so far!!

Plan E

After having booked the tickets Shreerag rings me up and tells me that his Mom is concerned over her daughter’s safety while travelling by Metro. That essentially meant that the entire plan had to be reconstructed! But with the tickets already booked, we had to reach there by 6:3no time for another plan. So we figured that we should travel by his Mom’s car. But that too had certain limitations such as to the number of people! Then we decided if Sreyas could travel with Zubin, who had transportation of his own, then Subin and I could go in Shree’s car. But then Zubin had tuitions that day so he could not pick up Sreyas. Then we decided that Karthik, My bro and I could travel by Metro so that the rest of then can come by car. But later my parents said that they could drop me and Subin at Ibn Batutta. And finally at 1:00 am on Friday, we, or more suitably I, had a plan!!!

The Puzzle is Solved

With the transport crisis finally sorted out, the only thing left was to go for the movie. On that day there were three cars from various parts of UAE heading toward Ibn Batutta with only one purpose- watch a movie which had taken 14 years to make and around half a billion to make. We met at the cinemas at around 6:15 and by 6:30 we were already inside the theatre. To say the truth, I enjoyed every bit of it! James Cameron has done, arguably one of his finest works, by creating this masterpiece. The interactions between the CGI characters and the live actors are so fluid that you might doubt whether they are truly animated or not! The storyline may seem a bit too old but the themes are strong. And it won't be a surprise if you call the PS3 lame after watching this one. Hats off to James Cameron!!