Athletes not game for movie screenings at Village

NEW DELHI - The athletes here for the Commonwealth Games are keeping themselves entertained by indulging in a gig or two at the disco in the Games Village but are giving a cold shoulder to the motivational movie screenings.

We are constantly trying to reach out to players via flyers, posters and all kinds of other activities to spread the word but not many people are turning up for the movie screenings, Mohan Rajput of the Organising Committee, told IANS.

Maybe it’s because the movies are screened simultaneously with the disco - which is a huge hit among the visitors, added Rajput, who is looking after the international zone at the Village.

Called ‘Twilight Cinema’, the movies are screened via a projector on an LED screen in the 500-seat open amphi-theatre — which is mostly empty. On the other hand, the disco runs from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m every night and can accommodate 100 people at a time.

We try to screen motivational and personally relaxing movies for the athletes. It starts around 8.30 p.m. in the night along with the disco after the daily cultural performances are over, said Rohit Bhutani, incharge of ‘Twilight Cinema’ at the Village.

The movies have been approved by the Organising Committee. These are basically movies which are supposed to push the adrenalin of athletes so they perform better the next day but sadly there has not been a good turnout, he added.

The guests are fed on Hollywood movies like Shooter, Ice Age, Never Back Down, Wanted, Shawshank Redemption, Remember The Titans and Cinderella Man. A screening of Bollywood’s biggest hit Sholay with subtitles was also scheduled for Monday, but couldn’t take place due to a technical snag.

The visitors, on the other hand, gave “busy schedules” and “non-interest” as reasons for giving the movies a miss.

I have been busy with my tournaments so I haven’t visited the theatre… Either way, I don’t think I’ll be visiting it because I am not that interested in movies, said Caiklin Anderson, a synchronised swimmer from New Zealand.

Hywel Robinson, an athlete from Guernsey said: I have been very busy with my training. It has just been once that I went out to the disco with my friends, so I gave the movies a miss.

Added Lacklan Renshaw, an athlete from Australia: I finished competing last (Monday) night so it hasn’t been possible for me to visit the theatre till now but maybe I’ll check it out now.