The most exciting part about entering this space is that you don’t know which film you’re in for until the lights have been dimmed, the audience settles in, and the projector readies itself to run. Naik was inspired by the Telluride Film Festival he attended in the US where they did something similar. Of this event, Salman Rushdie had once said that there are two types of festivals: one which is mega-hyped and one where no prizes are given and so much of it is dedicated not to commerce but purely to love. Being a cinephile, Naik was tickled by the magic of discovery and secrecy that Telluride offered. “I knew that if we revealed the name of the film, people might feel like they’ve already watched the film or that it was not their kind of cinema or they’d know what they’re in for. The angle of what feels almost like a secret film society appealed to me,” he says.  

What fascinates him is that the audience at the screenings comprises a lot of young people. Perhaps with the OTTs encouraging small-budget films, foreign films as well as experimental films might have a role to play in opening a world of cinema that sometimes doesn’t make it to the halls. Naik admits, “OTT is godsend. I understand the economics of theatres with their limited windows; they can only screen so many movies in a day. OTT has very interestingly come in to support that. For a nominal subscription fee, you have access to all these movies. But I also believe that the experience of watching a movie in a dark room with a bunch of people is special.” As he gears for their fourth session of the film club this Sunday, Subramanian agrees with Naik. He adds, “After the pandemic, we just realised how important this sense of community and bonhomie is. Through our book and film clubs, we hope we are able to reach out to those who feel lonely or vulnerable.” 

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