Home is where the theatre is

Feel like a night out at the movies? All you have to do is head for the mini theatre in your house. Mukesh Khosla tells you what it takes to set up a customised theatre

NO more rushing through your dinner, no more driving to the movie hall, no more parking hassles, no more battling your way through to the ticket counter, no more glum faces at seeing the "House Full" sign.

Now all you have to do is to move into the special screening room in your own home, select a movie of your choice, pop some corn, open a can of cola or juice and watch your own mini theatre.

Though Sony has patented Home Theatre, some Indian companies too are offering top-of-the-line theatres that can be installed at home. These combine the latest in video and audio technologies.

"A mini theatre is a movie hall in your own home," says Himanshu Kumar, an acoustic interior designer and founder of an audio-video consulting firm specialising in customised theatres.

"The basic requirement is a dedicated room that will be fitted with perfect acoustic interiors, special lighting and comfortable seating to give the feel of real theatre in miniature format."

One of the most important aspects that have to be taken into consideration is the size and shape of the room. For instance the acoustic will not be top quality in a cubicle or circular room. Moreover the room should not be adjacent to the bedroom of old people or school-going kids as a late night movie would be disturbing for them. There should preferably be no windows in the room. The door should be on the opposite side of the screen.

The size of the room depends upon personal requirements. If it is only for family use, a 15 feet by 20 feet room would do that can fit in around 10 comfortable chairs. If it meant to entertain guests then, of course, a much larger room would be required.

Though a number of modern mini theatres use large TV screens, the real aficionados still prefer a proper movie screen with front projectors as used in a commercial theatre. These can also project television programmes through a cable or a dish connection. The size of the screen will vary according to the height of the ceiling and size of the room. Most mini theatre companies offer screens between eight feet (96 inches) and 40 feet (480 inches).

Such signature installations can cost anything from Rs10 lakh to a crore of rupees. As a thumb rule, a mini theatre at home would cost around Rs 4000 per square foot floor area that would include electronics, automation, seating system, acoustics, lighting and wall surface treatment — in fact, the works. So a small theatre in 15 ft by 25 ft room would cost around Rs 15 lakh.

But Kumar says there are no thumb rules as far as the cost is concerned as theatres at home are customised and a lot depends upon the choice and affordability. The cost break-up for a theatre costing Rs 15 lakh would be: Equipment worth around Rs 5 lakh; acoustic customisation and lighting around Rs.7 lakh and the rest for the seating and air conditioning.

There could be changes in the cost if there are additions like carpeting, folding chairs, setting up of a bar or a pop corn counter. But then cost is hardly a consideration for people who get a customised theatre installed in their house. After all, not many can afford to splurge a few millions to watch their favourite movie in their own personal theatre. — NF