Bhuntar, Himachal Pradesh, India.
The small town video hut.
Movie posters on a time battered sign board reach out to grab attention, midway into the town of Bhuntar. Small towns can surprise one with their unique ability for improvisation and spirit of enterprise. Prior to the entry of cable television into homes, one room shacks furnished with long wooden benches, video players and television sets allowed the local populace to indulge their love for the movies. It was good business and people didn’t mind the minimum arrangements as long as there was a great movie on screen to while the time away.
In their early days, video huts were a big hit and more popular than the local cinema hall. Today few still thrive, and for a dirt cheap price one can experience this unique aspect of small town culture – that is practically unheard of in big cities.
