I Went To An Indian Movie Theatre In Toronto & It Was So Different From What I Expected

This Review article is part of a Narcity Media series. The views expressed are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Narcity Media.

As a huge cinema fan, I try my best to watch as many new and interesting movies as I can in the best environments possible.

So, when a friend and his partner invited me to go and see a movie at one of the few theatres in Toronto that is entirely dedicated to Indian cinema, I couldn't say no!

The movie that we chose was a Telugu one called RRR.* Ever since its release in March, it's become one of the most successful Indian films of the year and has received international acclaim.

This also marked my very experience with Indian cinema.

Our trip to the theatre, The Albion Cinema in Etobicoke, Ontario, was a long one. From our Toronto abodes, it took nearly 90 minutes to transit all the way out to it.

Walking into the theatre, the first thing I noticed was the massive murals of several Bollywood stars.

They smiled down upon us as if to say, "welcome to a new world of cinema-going."

A mural of several stars of Indian cinema.Tristan Wheeler | Narcity

The menu at the concession was standard — popcorn, pop, candy — but it also had samosas. I, unfortunately, didn't try one because I had already had dinner at that point.

Grabbing our seats, I noticed that the screens and cinemas were absolutely massive. There were maybe about 60 people in our showing and even then, it was hardly a third full.

Once the movie started, not only was the sound incredibly loud, but it was also truly the most ecstatic and excited movie audience that I've ever encountered.

Much of the crowd had brought their own noisemakers, so when any significant action moment happened in the film, everyone – and this includes children and older folks — went wild.

It was so loud that I thought what sounded like a flute was part of the movie. But nope, someone had brought one and was playing it whenever something cool happened!

And there were plenty of cool moments.

I could talk at length about RRR, but the long and short of it is that the movie is freaking awesome.

A mural advertising a Bollywood magazine.Tristan Wheeler | Narcity

It's set in 1920, and follows the story of two Indian historical figures, Komaram Bheem and Sitarama Raju, teaming up to fight British colonizers.

The two lead actors, N. T. Rama Rao Jr. and Ram Charan, are just so committed to the movie and excel in every way. And the director, S.S. Rajamouli, really knows what he's doing too.

The action scenes are impressive, the dance sequences are fun, and the drama and intrigue are incredibly well done.

And that's really something that matters when a movie is slightly over three hours long. I highly recommend watching it, even if you can't see it in a theatre as I did.

By the end of the movie, my friends and I — and everyone else in the theatre — were thoroughly entertained.

I shuffled out of the theatre energized by an amazing movie and an even more exceptional cinematic experience.

If you have any interest at all in Indian movies, I highly recommend watching a movie in a similar environment if you can find one!

*A previous version of this article incorrectly stated that "Telegu" is the name of the Tamil film industry. Telegu is a language that has its own distinct film industry.