Film enthusiasts encountered significant travel challenges during the Pune International Film Festival this week. Road closures for a major cycling event created unexpected obstacles for those trying to reach screening venues.
Audience Members Share Their Struggles
Sudhakar, a dedicated movie lover who traveled specially from Chennai, expressed his frustration. "I came to Pune specifically for PIFF to watch my chosen films," he said. "But the road closures for the Bajaj Pune Grand Tour made commuting between venues extremely difficult. I couldn't travel comfortably at all."
Local resident Divyashree Kavatkar from Karve Nagar faced similar issues. "Barricades and road closures forced me to walk to the venue," she explained. "Authorities diverted us from side roads, and we couldn't take our planned turns. Reaching the festival became quite a challenge."
Cycling Event Impacts Film Festival Attendance
The Pune Grand Tour cycling event pedaled through the city on January 19, covering the route from Goodluck Chowk to Deccan Bus Stop. This resulted in road closures throughout Shivajinagar and Deccan areas, with traffic being systematically diverted away from these zones.
These transportation disruptions created unwanted side effects for the concurrent film festival. An organizer reported noticeably thinner crowds at afternoon screenings. Only sixty percent of expected audiences showed up at PVR, The Pavilion, and E-Square - the festival's two primary venues.
Film Buffs Miss Important Screenings
Several audience members confirmed they missed afternoon shows entirely due to the travel complications. Others compared notes about the special efforts they made to reach important film screenings that day.
"Many of us came early in the morning specifically to avoid road issues," one film buff revealed. "We didn't want to miss our chance to watch these films."
Filmmaker Bhaskar observed the visible impact on attendance. "Today's crowd is noticeably smaller compared to previous days," he noted. "Earlier, there was tremendous excitement and seats were difficult to secure. Today, there's no such struggle. The cycling tour likely caused many people to miss screenings."
Bhaskar emphasized the significance of the missed opportunity. "Internationally renowned films are screening here," he pointed out. "This represents a rare chance for local audiences. But travel restrictions between Pavilion and E Square during the tour created serious inconvenience for film lovers."
Evening Brings Relief and Discussion
After roads reopened in the evening, audiences finally streamed into the venues. The barricades and traffic diversions that dominated the daytime gave way to more pleasant conversations. Festival attendees shifted their focus from transportation troubles to discussions about the stories and performances they had witnessed.
The situation highlighted how large-scale city events can sometimes conflict, creating challenges for residents and visitors pursuing different cultural experiences in Pune.
