This is a writeup not just about the multiplex and IMAX theater, but a bit abt the entire complex.
When it opened more than a year ago, it was the first such multiplex in Hyderabad and showed the citizens what quality movie watching experience is all about. It also provided shopping, eating and gaming opportunities under one roof with movies for the first time in the city.
The building is very striking from the distance and as u get closer the sheer size and the curved glass frontage hits you. There is car parking in the basement and 2-wheeler parking all around the building. on weekends the available car parking is not sufficient and the visitors can park at the municipal parking lot opposite the building or at the huge NTR garden parking lot nearby.
The IMAX entry is at the first floor. A cool passage leads u into the IMAX hall where the sheer size of the screen and the steeply raked stadium seating takes your breath away! the hall seats around 650 people and is MASSIVE. The effect of watching a movie on IMAX has to be experienced, not read about.
This is the most expensive movie hall in town: 125/- for 2D IMAX, 150/- for 3D IMAX and 180/- for IMAX DMR movies (like Harry Potter, Spiderman2 etc). the price is worth every penny esp for a 3D movie. of course as someone pointed out, there could have been a central aisle and little more leg space.
The multiplex is on the top floor. It’s a five screen affair, but for some reason Screen 5 is not used now (it was used for about two months early this year). if asked why, the staff just say ’’renovation’’ and clam up. The other four screens seat abt 300 each and give the viewer a very good film watching experience.
The seats, air conditioning, sound, projection and the general ambience work out perfectly. there could have been a little more leg space here too, but overall its not bad. And yes, there is a central aisle! the tickets also come at 60/- which is double of other theaters, but worth it.
For eats there is a food court in the ground floor with a varied cuisine, tho on the expensive side. My favourite here is the caramel popcorn! then there is the aromatic Cookieman stall, Subway, a Marrybrown restaurant, a chocolate stall and small counters that sell delicious boiled corn in a cup.
For games, there is a challenging rock climbing wall and a gaming zone with lots of arcade games for all ages. thats about it! one can spend a whole day here just hanging out with friends or get your family for a very good time.
Clean toilets are available at each floor and are a relief after seeing stinking toilets in most other halls.
The Cons:
The unmanageable weekend crowd: the whole place looks like a fair ground with crowds thronging every inch. the parking is also not sufficient in this period.
The RUDE staff: they seriously need a lesson on customer orientation and politeness, esp the staff at the box office.
The internet booking system: it needs a revamp. right now, if someone books on internet, he/she should take a print out of the confirmation page and show it at the counter and collect the ticket. The Internet booking tickets have to be collected only on the day of the show and at the most one hour before the show. Whats the point of making an advance booking if one has to come one hour before show (earlier, if u want a parking space on weekends)? the website’s booking section does not list to-be-released films till the friday and on friday it turns out that the shows for the first week are already sold out.
BTW, there is an easy way to hack the internet booking system and get a ticket confirmation, even if it says that the required show is sold out (I have done it twice). But I am not going to explain how to do it in this forum!!!!!!! :-)
The telephone booking is equally pathetic and needs a revamp.
But I am sure most of these cons wud be taken care of one the other multiplexes start opening in town, the first one being PVR at Hyderabad Central Mall in a couple of months.