CHENNAI : Gone are the days when a person would stand outside theatres playing a 3D movie and hand out a white frame with blue and red polarised glass to each individual. Only upon wearing those glasses one could see the characters up close, and get into the immersive world to feel the things happening around them. What if we tell you that now you can have a 3D experience by just standing? A space where you get transported to a different realm as that of characters displayed and can live it first-hand with a 360-degree view. Bringing this experience to Chennaiites is Sun Dance, a 14-metre-wide dome. CE took a tour of the new entertainment space that has come up on Kelambakkam-Vandalur arterial road.
In a reel world
The entrance to the dome is covered with vinyl sheets and people of all ages along with our four-legged friends await to experience the tales of Aladdin, Peter Pan, Seven wonders of the world, Moby Dick, Speed Racer, and Space Driver. The visuals are computer-generated images (CGI) created by Red Raion which when paired with Dolby Sound brings a reality beyond imagination. A single image is made by software to be projected by multiple projectors. You soon become a part of the tale.
Along with me is a group of school students who remove their shoes and get ready for the 30-minute show, their excitement palpable. Karthik says, “I believe there might be action heroes fighting the villains,” while Sadhana adds, “I hope my favourite cartoon Shinchan is played.” While what they hoped for wasn’t on the schedule, the students seemed to enjoy their time at the Baghdad of Aladdin. Sadhana notes, “It was very good. I felt like I was in Aladdin’s world. I want more such experiences to come to Chennai so that I can have fun.”
Tales and fables
One could turn around and live in different visuals at two ends of the theatre. But the common thread between most of the tales was underwater scenes. “The show separates reality from animated storytelling, giving everyone a sensory awakening while engaging with the audience’s interest. The beauty of the dome is that it does not appeal to just one age group,” says K Ravichandran, vice president of marketing of Casagrand. A team of less than ten from the real estate company took 15 days to assemble this easy-to-dismantle dome, manufatured by Fulldome.pro, and maintain it.
Concurring, Varnika, a student of Vellore Institute of Technology, says, “It was engaging for all age groups because having an interaction like this felt different. None of us wanted to leave the space. We were there for an extra five minutes. Considering the ticket price, it was a wholesome experience.”
Within a week of opening its doors to the public, the dome has become a hot spot for people not only from Chennai but from far-off districts too. Kavya Anjali Gunasekaran, a student who travelled 300 km to watch the show shares, “The price and the travel to live this experience is totally worth it. I went to a similar thing in Bangalore when I was in my fifth standard. This brought back memories. When a diamond was displayed on the screen, the entire theatre started shining, the colour scheme and the lighting were my favourite.”
During some scenes, age did not matter as everyone was in awe of the scenes around them. “The concept is something new. The kids were amused. It felt like a virtual reality, and as if we were indulging in a rollercoaster ride,” says Prashika Balasubramaniyam, an engineering student.
Wonders of the world
The dome reverberated with oohs, aahs, camera clicks, and people video-calling their families so that they could live the adventure with them. Madan Kumar, a senior software engineer at Tech Mahindra, who had come with his family says, “My kids enjoyed the programme and it was useful as they showed the seven wonders of the world. It was wonderful to view as well as educational.” Meanwhile, Manju Elaiyaperumal points out, “The kids were running around and the people were too excited to watch the upcoming images.”
As people walked out of the dome theatre happy and smiling, they were encountered by DIYA (Do It Yourself Academy) robots, greeting them with water and juice packs. While some engaged in discussions about the show, some walked around with their kids, some wanted to spend more time in the theatre, and others posted their pictures on social media, and walked out the exit with the images fresh in their minds.
Time: 4pm to 9pm. Tickets are priced at Rs 100 and available on bookmyshow.com