Filled with the screeches and laughter of kids, the premise was a sight to see and listen to.[break]
Amidst the jolly group was Pooja Thapa, 15, who, if given a chance, would love to watch all of Nepali actor Nikhil Uprety’s films in a cinema hall.
Today, although she was at a cinema hall, the screening was of a movie she had never heard of.
“I’m here to see an English movie,” she giggled.
QFX Cinemas, along with the Hridaya Group’s Help from the Heart, Kosheli, and Heartbeat – the three social organizations working for underprivileged children – jointly arranged a film show that left Pooja and 100 other underprivileged kids chuckling and dancing long after the completion of the film.
The show was the free screening of Kung Fu Panda 2 at the QFX Central of Civil Mall in Sundhara.
Manish Jha, President of the Hridaya Group and the initiator of the event, said that the simple idea that “kids love cinema” was the reason behind organizing the show.
“Who doesn’t like going to the cinema once in a while? But unlike most of us, these kids hardly get the chance to do so,” he said.
Agreeing with Jha was Bikash Nepali, all of 14, who simply couldn’t hide his excitement while he hopped around the theatre premises, bedazzled by everything he saw.
“I’ve always wanted to come here because I like movies,” he said, adding “Although I like playing as well, this is special because here they said we get eyeglasses to watch the movie.”
Once the movie began, there was no stopping the laughter for them. In spite of the movie being in the English language, the kids were enthralled at the kung fu scenes, and the life-like images because of the movie being in 3D, which requires a pair of special goggles to wear while being viewed.
Juju Kaji Maharjan, founder of Heartbeat, said, such events need to be organized more often. “These kids have a life outside the streets too,” he said, adding “Just because they were abandoned or orphaned doesn’t mean they don’t yearn for fun times.”
Heartbeat currently takes care of some 300 street urchins.
Singing his way out of the theatre was Govinda Pariyar, 17, who enjoyed the movie so much that he would like to come again.
“I didn’t expect the movie to be so much fun, and I hope I can come again,” he smiled.
The children also munched on complimentary popcorn and drank water along with the free tickets, courtesy of QFX Cinemas.
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