In the darkened movie hall, a baby elephant wades into a tranquil pool of water.
The heavy scent of wild flowers surprises the audience even before drops of water splash on them, as if they were riding the elephant.
This is 6D cinema, brought to India by Reliance Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group's Adlabs through a technology tie-up with Israel-based Cinema Park Networks (CPN).
"It is important to be in tune with global technology as Indian consumers are now quite aware and expect more," says Tushar Dhingra, CEO of Adlabs.
The pop-out images of 3D are now passé. The technology-driven visual effects and acoustics of 6D combine strikingly real three-dimensional images with the senses of smell, sound, touch, motion and, above all, interactivity. The ambience is as carefully constructed as the product on the screen. For instance, the chair on which the viewer sits can swivel a full 360 degrees, shake or swing gently, depending on what the plot demands. Think about it: if a flower appears on the screen you can smell it, and if a character is shown on screen you can feel his or her touch.
Special controls in every seat personalises movie watching experience. You could, for instance, select the language in which you want to watch a film; or adjust the sound levels. Besides special viewing glasses for viewers, 6D cinema, which has no print and is played on a computer, calls for a digital projector. Its Smart Seats, supplied by Israel-based Simnoa, have features such as 'movement', 'water jet', 'tickler', 'air and fragrance nozzles', and even a 'butt shaker'. A screen literally coated with silver for that crystal clear effect, and Trivia, an interactive game show for students, are the other attractions.
At India's first 6D entertainment centre — The Cinema Park — in Agra, Adlabs is showing India In Motion, a film catering to foreign tourists; Journey Through The Universe is for students; and Musical Cinema as family fare. Each production lasts 40 minutes. "In educational films, there is also an option of asking questions during the movie," says Dhingra. Students are charged Rs 90, domestic tourists Rs 150, and foreigners $5-8 (Rs 215-344).
