I took part in a Twitter Contest last week just to win the delectable prize- Chennai Express movie-tickets!
As we had been waiting pretty eagerly for the film, I thought it made sense to take part in the ongoing Chennai Express quiz and win the tickets and make it to the first day...
I was delighted to be amongst the 10 winners in the top trending topic for that day! All 10 of us had managed to win the movie-tickets! Yaay! I sent my address details anticipating to receive Movie-Voucher that would help me book tickets as per my convenience. Getting on the train looked easy!
As Chennai Express was to release on August 9th 2013, I was in regular touch with the said team. My wish was to watch Chennai Express the very day of its release. I got no response from them. The days passed...
On August 8th, I realized that there would be Preview shows available for the film that evening. Tickets were pricey! So what?! In the morning itself, I booked two tickets for me and my enthu kid for the first Preview Show at 6 PM! It was raining very heavily. Still, we went ahead with our long-planned plan! We watched and liked the movie, like the rest of the public responsible for the nearly House-Full board!
I thought when I would win my Voucher, I would gift it to my father & sister, who could watch it in my hometown.
Yesterday evening, I got a mail from the team about my Chennai Express Ticket Details!
But, Hello! What was this? I had got no voucher! They had mailed me a ticket with all details!
Note1- Just one ticket! Not even couple-tickets!
Note2- My plan to gift it to my family, living in another city, was murdered in the planning stage!
Note3- The movie-hall isn't near my home!
Note4- It was a morning 9 AM show for the next day i.e. for today- August 14th 2013! Not even for August 15th- a holiday!
I requested the team if they could provide for alternate City or Date/Time. They said now that the ticket had been booked, there would be no change. I shared my feedback that had they given Voucher, we could have selected the Movie-Hall closest to our home and also the Show's Time & Date as per our convenience.
Disappointed that I could not gift it to my family, I decided to gift it to any of my friends & well-wishers here. I started calling up all my neighbours, friends, ex-colleagues, my kid's friends parents...even my newspaper delivery-boy and neighbourhood shopkeeper...!
Some had already watched it in the weekend. Some wanted an additional free ticket as they wanted to go with a friend! Others cited problem with the time-factor- that it's not suitable for office-goers on a Week Day! Still others had issues with the distance they had to travel to the Movie-hall! One of the youngsters, who was keen, had his exams! While another never picked up his phone nor bothered to call me back. But, everyone else whom I communicated with, thanked me profusely for the great offer, while expressing regret that they could not avail themselves of it! Some even asked me to contact them the next time I won anything! I blew up quite a major part of my phone's available talk-time/balance! Much more than the cost-price of the Morning Show Movie-ticket!
"If I were you, I would never offer it to anyone else. I'd have gone on my own!", my kid shared her view!
As no one else volunteered to use the free ticket, I did Self-help service and went for the treat yet again though I had watched it barely 6 days ago! I started out from my home & raced to reach the Movie-Hall as if my life depended on it!
"Get on the train, Baby" beckoned me as I like watching a movie from the very beginning!
This is how I compulsorily used up the free Movie-ticket I had won!
A prize is a prize! Very special!
My Motto- Prizes better be gifted away or be used up by self!
Yes! I watched Chennai Express for the second time today...
I admired Deepika Padukone's & SRK's acting again & laughed at the same jokes, enjoyed the colourful songs & cool dances and still got scared when SRK was bashed up in the Climax...
It was good to experience the charming Chennai Express Journey again!
