an amdavad tradition...

surviving since 1975, the only one in India and a very american culture thingy...the sunset drive-in cinema in apnu amdavad is the one different experience you can have in the city...accomodating a 800 cars, each with an average of 4 and sometimes a maximum of 12 people...this place is profitable in the multiplex times. well consider the economics, at 4 people plus 1 car, and 30 bucks a ticket (used to be 15 in '93 when i came to the city) for a single show they make 120,000 per show, compare that to a 150 seater multiplex chargin 200 per seat, comes to 30,000 per show, but then multiplex have a lot of costs, no such thing in the drive-in.
but more then economics, drive-in is in the fabric of ahmedabad, and it comes out of the culture of ahmedabad, and the fun loving gujjus. every friday, cars would line up for kilometers, from 3 in the afternoon for a 7:30 show, there would be fights and traffic jams, and loads of fun. and then once inside, people would come up with a whole set up to sit comfortable, out comes the patio funiture, the gadda's and the takiyas and ofcourse the food...right from snacks to full gujju dinners, people carry everything. it would be a total party. thats the culture of ahmedabad. fun loving and unconcerned...always. my parents were at the drive-in after the recent blasts in ahd, and when i asked them to leave, they say...why, everyone is here and no one is concerned.
the place itself is this huge tar paved open space, with this small screen, the car spaced only defined by the speakers, most of which don't work, but who cares. there is a food court, where u can find everything from cigs to paav bhaaji to the best amdavad style pizzas. a few years ago, before the age of multiplexs and malls, this was the show off place for young kids. they would come in what they thought were swanky cars and just drive around, honking...
drive-in back then and even today is a total chillax place, where u do not go to watch the movie, but for the entire entertainment package. come to think of it, very american...
take care