"Last week I was in Hyderabad filming a documentary about this beautiful ancient city. As I was passing the IMAX Theater I remembered that Digital Journal Online was planning to run an IMAX WEEK on their site. So, out of curiosity I decided to check to see what type of people go to see an IMAX movie here in India instead of going to see a popular Bollywood musical. It was then I met this very old, interesting man leaving the IMAX theater, he just gave me his first name, Nusrat (or may be his last name, I could not judge) and he did not allow me to photograph him, but we had a great conversation. Here it is:" Francois M
Francois- How old are you?
Nusrat- I can't remember when I was born, I should be over ninety years old.
Francois- How often you are coming to Hyderabad to watch an IMAX movie?
Nusrat- I live in the countryside quite far from the city, just the bus ride is over five hours and then I have to walk for two hours from my village to the bus stop.
Francois- Do you have any relatives in Hyderabad? Or you're just coming to see the movie?
Nusrat- Believe it or not I'm just coming to see the movie, an IMAX movie. It is like magic. It is like being able to travel and to get inside other peoples life. It is like experiencing somebody else's life. When I wear those strange glasses I feel like the heroes of the fairy tales that find a magical tool. Wear it and go anywhere you want!
Francois- Do you know how to read and write?
Nusrat- My hands are shaking and I can't write but I still read, and I dictate poems to my grandsons. I'd never liked any Bollywood movie, they are boring, bunch of people dancing like crazy for no reason. Yes I am educated, the reason I am leaving in a village out of nowhere, is that I wanted to be of away from the crowd. In India it is impossible to be away from the crowd. But in my village there are not that many people, but just a few of my cousins and my grandsons.
Francois- How did you discover the IMAX? He
Nusrat- Two years ago one of my grandsons took me to the city. He had to do some business and I to get rid of me he dropped me at this IMAX theater which was close to where he had to go.
Francois- Do you remember what movie the see?
Nusrat- No, I've was so amazed by the huge size of the screen and stunned by the spell of the images, that I could not follow the subject of the movie. It was like a spiritual trip. Then I remember later than I saw a movie about deep under the ocean, it was one of the best experiences of my life. I think God has kept me to live so long to have this experience.
My folks laugh at me, they tell me you are obsessed by a materialistic and satanic power. But at my age, I am more open-minded than all of them.
Francois- What you like to see on the IMAX screen?
Nusrat - They should make an IMAX movie from India. I wish I knew how to do it. I have been all-around my country when it was young. I think all the people around the world will enjoy such an experience. If it is nicely done it will be a visual poem.
Francois- How do other people react when they see you at the theater? Aren’t they surprised to see a man of your age around?
Nusrat- Not in India, here we are ready to see anything unexpected. I know that in the other parts of the world and especially in America only young people hang around with the young people. Old people have nothing to with what the young people like. But here the family ties are very strong and people enjoy each other company regardless of age. Just some young people want to help me to go up the stairs. But I don't need that. I am still able to handle myself.
Francois- You know that, if you want, you could be famous around the world as the oldest men ever been an IMAX movie. And being from India will add to its surprise element. How do you like this idea?
Nusrat- why do westerners like to change everything to a circus, I am a human being, my age does not matter and my country does not matter. People have to pay money to see a movie not to come and watch me seeing a movie.
Francois- And what is your last word about all this?
Nusrat- Before I see my first IMAX movie, I was not seeing any dreams anymore but after that I have had strange dreams, nice dreams.
I wish one day I can go to an IMAX movie and I would be able to enter the screen and live with the people of the other side.
