In India, the Hindi movies last for a good two and a half hours, and, it is certain that the cinemagoers need a break in the very long continuous sitting hours in front of the screen. Thus, it is evident that, the people inside the hall definitely need a short break to relax their tired nerves. This break inside the cinema hall is called the intermission.

It is many a time that I have been to a movie in several cinema halls of Delhi, and have always enjoyed the ten minutes intermission. However, there was one movie in which the Intermission proved to be real scene, which I just cannot erase from my mind.

In 1997, one evening, I had gone to see a movie in the Delight Cinema hall, and the movie, I remember was ‘Badshah’, whose hero was Shah Rukh Khan, my favorite. I had gone to see this movie with my friends and the timing was 3.30 p.m., and the time for the intermission was around 4.45 p.m.

As usual, as soon as the lights were put on for the intermission all of us friends, five of us, went out for a cup of tea and some snacks. There, the snacks counter, the booking office, and the restaurant it was all absolutely silent. The places that are usually crowded and bustling with life and noise were unusually quiet.

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We came out wondering what could have occurred that created this silence of the grave. However, we did not take time in understanding the seriousness of the situation. As soon as we set our feet out of the hall, we had seen few gun toted men who had told us to leave the hall and go home.

We innocently argued with them saying that, we had still to see the rest of the movie. A little angered with our obstinacy they said, alright see the movie and go to heaven – the movie ticket is a double ticket, to the movie and to heaven Saying so, in anger, those men left us to do what we liked and this gave us the jitters, and, without any delay, we obeyed them and left for home, moving out of the premise of the hall.

As soon as we were out of the hall we saw the rest of the spectators also, all standing out on the road, shocked any dumb-founded. After a brief spell of fear, we asked the people as to what the matter was. Now, we came to know that the uniformed men we had seen with guns went terrorists.

They had kidnapped the owner of the cinema, hall and had threatened to burn the hall if ransom mane; demanded by them did not reach them within the next twenty-four hours. Hearing this, we at once rushed homewards trying to get away from this place as fast a possible.

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I had been to so many movies, and had enjoyed so man intermissions with a chat, cold drinks, and snacks – which! Had totally energized me for the rest of the long movie However, this intermission was unique which I have witnessed with my friends, an intermission which ma have been, instead of the intermission.

This interval of sorts has ever since put into my mind a peculiar fear of entering cinema halls. After 1997, with the memorable intermission I have, believe it or not, I have left going to movies. This single incident has left such fear in me that, I can never again enjoy a movie in a hall a before. This intermission has put to an abrupt end my acute fondness for movies and that also in halls.