Junk food is what most opt for during intervals at cinema halls. And, if it’s Saraswathi theatre on fire brigade road in Saraswathipuram in the city, ostensibly the first choice will be hot and crispy popcorn.

You may be asking what’s special here. The answer is simple. A few minutes ahead of recess, aroma of popcorn hits the cinema hall setting off hunger pangs. The maize filled into the tiny container in the glass covered machines at the canteens in balcony and lower class spills out as freshly made ‘popcorn’, and it’s neatly filled into a cone shaped paper packet. Priced at Rs 10 for packet,  it may seem worthy for you, only after having a bite.

As soon as the doors open, the spectators rush to buy popcorn and the premise turns into a hub of hectic activities for a while. Ravi, in-charge of the canteen from several years told City Herald, their hands are busy when the theatre is full. It doesn’t mean that, they are out of business during the poor turn out. Even at that time, popcorn tops the buy. In the case of huge rush, they sell 70 packets per show in no time, such is the demand it commands. Deepak who has been the maker of this yummy food says ‘it takes just one minute to prepare 10 packets’ and he deftly handles the orders as and when it flows.

There are instances where those who had a taste of it during interval, buy home after the show. It wouldn’t be a surprise, the occupants at an apartment beside the theatre had ensured that the popcorn prepared here was among the menu they had carefully thought over during an occasion. The lip smacking taste had floored many and came the order thrice from the same apartment.

Said Ravi, Nikhita who had starred opposite Puneeth Rajkumar in ‘Vamshi’ had fell in love with it when she tried it, while shooting for the movie at the same apartment.  Another Ravi who is popular as ‘College’ Ravi and prepares ‘popcorn’ at the canteen in the lower class adds that, at times those who pass through the road, have stopped for a while only to taste it.

Majority of them are youngsters who may have tasted it during their visit to the theatre earlier.

When Deepak and ‘College’ Ravi are not in place, Nagaraj and Mahadev chip in ensuring that they are palatable.

Ravi says it was his employer Shabeel Ahmed who hit upon this novel idea of offering fresh popcorn, inspired by the similar facility at a theatre in Bangalore, eight years ago.
Since then, the canteen is doing a roaring business.