When you select the movie you want to watch on BookMyShow and then you click on ‘Book tickets’, you are shown a pop-up similar to the below snapshot:
Basically, you are asked to select the format in which you want to watch a particular movie. The regular ones nowadays are 2D, 3D, IMAX, etc. With newer theatre technologies coming up, we also see a few more. One of them that you would have seen is MX4D. Not all movies are available in this format so it is quite possible that you may have not seen it across all of them. However, if you are reading this article, I am sure you want to know more about MX4D, what it means, its features, pricing, and many more things.
So let us dive right in.
What is MX4D?
Simply put, MX4D means motion (M) effects (X) in four dimensions (4D). If this was to be explained in a little more detail, MX4D is a theatre technology that actually allows you to feel what is exactly happening in the movie, i.e. the rain, snow, wind, scent, motion, tremors, etc., are all in-built in an MX4D-powered cinema hall. Let us also have a look at the video below.
MediaMation is the company behind this technology. An MX4D theatre was commercially deployed in 2013 in Mexico. From there on, it expanded its footprint across the world with tie-ups with major cinema chains. In India, INOX has the sole right to use this technology, unlike PVR’s PXL Screen which is developed by PVR on its own.
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What are the features of MX4D theatre?
To summarise, MX4D is equipped with a minimum of 14 features listed below:
- Neck tickler
- Back poker
- Air blast
- Water blast
- Scent
- Seat popper
- Rumbler
- Leg tickler
- Wind
- Snow
- Fog
- Rain
- Bubbles
- Strobe (lightning)
Most of these features are actually in-built into the seats themselves, while there are arrangements done within the cinema hall for rain, snow, fog, etc. In a way, whenever there is a blast in the movie, the seats will tremble. If there is a scene from Mount Everest, you will experience snow and wind too. If there is a chase sequence, your seats will move too.
Employees of the theatre usually check the functioning of these things before the start of any show.
What is the total seating capacity in an MX4D theatre?
MX4D theatres do not have a huge seating capacity. They have a capacity to accommodate approximately 60-70 at a time. Generally, there are two sections – Royal and Club. Club is closer to the screen and Royal is slightly farther.
How many MX4D Screens exist in India as of April 2022?
While there is no easier way to find this out, I called up INOX’s head office to enquire. They said that at present, there is only one MX4D theatre in India. It is in Inorbit Mall in Malad-West locality of suburban Mumbai.
What is the pricing of an MX4D seat?
Surprisingly, the price is not significantly higher. It is either at par with that of a 2D-3D seat or just slightly higher.
Remember, not everyone can get an entry
That is right. Unlike a normal theatre where we can have infants on our laps, such a mechanism is not allowed in MX4D theatre. Also, you need to be at least 40 inches tall, i.e. 3.33 feet to get an entry.
