Caught up with Rosh after 12yrs. We were at the Cathedral and John Connon School together. Home was Colaba then, Powai now. Class VII then, YUPPIEs now. We figured today would be just excellent to finally meet up. Headed to IMAX Adlabs, Wadala. Most of life had been tracked over one huge phonecall. So the car-ride was mostly about how much life had changed - how the women created trouble and the likes of it..

By the time we got to Adlabs, the women had still not arrived, so we actually got some time to check out the gorgeous statue of the skating girl outside the theatre. Its so big, that it really can't be appreciated from close-by. I felt it looked more stunning when viewed from a distance, or maybe better, if I could get an aerial view.

The last time I watched an IMAX film was at Manchester - some terrific film on the Grand Canyon which lasted less than an hour. Small tiny theatre, that was. The IMAX Dome at Wadala, is apparently the largest of its kind in the world. I was sure a Johnny Depp film would be a treat to watch, even if it got dizzying..

Rosh's girl, Annapoo and her roomies (Nit and Ashu) made it 2mins. before the movie was set to begin. This was the first time we were hearing of an autorickshaw driver in Mumbai who didn't know his way to this Theatre. The Dome was indeed massive. We missed the first few minutes of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and finding 6 seats together was priority one. So, we soon found ourselves somewhere in the lowest five rows - at a 120º incline - maybe more. And I was kinda uncomfortable in a coupla minutes.

But the movie was fantastic. Strangely, it was not Depp, and not even Highmore that had me laughing, but this other Gent, whom I actually had to read up about - Deep Roy. He's done stuff with Tim Burton before, but his role as the Oompa Loompas (yeah, he was all of them), was perfect. There's no dialogue from his end. He just dances to wackily choreographed dance sequences in costumes that resembled the Teletubbies' stuff, and enjoys the chocolate, of course. It was stupid as hell, but it had me laughing loud and that's what I loved.

I liked the story, though I haven't yet read the book. Loved the presentation on chocaholism.

Twice a day, on his way to and from school, little Charlie Bucket had to walk right past the gates of the factory. And every time he went by he would begin to walk very, very slowly, and he would hold his nose high in the air and take long deep sniffs of the gorgeous chocolatey smell all around him. Oh, how he loved that smell! And oh, how he wished he could go inside the factory and see what it was like.
~Roald Dahl

None of us bought any chocolate at the end of the show. Instead, Annapoo bought lovely candy.. Strange thing that the movie doesn't really help market chocolate; it does make you feel good about the whole thing though.

We lounged about at Moca in Hiranandani after that. Watching a movie in the Dome Theatre was tiring, and annoying. I was kinda exhausted. But the Moca unwind was worth it. Ashu was cornered and we were really howling at her expense. These Lawyers were so much fun.