Archive · 10 Sep 2026
R Madhavan Questions Theatre Dining as Expert Defends Undivided Attention
Actor R Madhavan said people should go to restaurants instead of eating meals inside movie theatres.
He especially questioned why people would eat pani puri while watching a film.
A psychotherapist, Delnna Rrajesh, said the discussion is also about how people use their attention.
People often eat while watching television or use phones during other activities.
Doing many things at once can make each activity less enjoyable.
Quiet moments and mild boredom can help people think and notice what is around them.
Rrajesh suggested trying meals, walks and films without extra screens or phones.
These are experiments, not strict rules.
The bigger question is whether people can enjoy one experience without always adding another.
R Madhavan said people who want lunch or dinner should visit a restaurant rather than eat inside a movie theatre.
He called eating pani puri in theatres “stupidity” and said distractions can make audiences angry before a film begins.
Psychotherapist Delnna Rrajesh said modern life encourages people to divide their attention among multiple sources of stimulation.
Rrajesh said combining food, films, phones and other pleasures may dilute enjoyment rather than increase it.
She recommended small experiments such as screen-free meals, phone-free conversations and watching films without simultaneous scrolling.
- Who
- Actor R Madhavan and psychotherapist and relationship breakthrough coach Delnna Rrajesh.
- What
- Madhavan criticised eating inside movie theatres, while Rrajesh discussed divided attention and the possible benefits of focusing on one experience.
- When
- Madhavan made the comments in an interview with M9 News; he was also reported to have been trending on Google for the previous 24 hours.
- Where
- The discussion concerns movie theatres and modern everyday activities; Madhavan’s remarks were made in an interview with M9 News.
- Why
- Madhavan was responding to a question about audience criticism, while the expert used the debate to examine multitasking, overstimulation and attention.
Separate Experiences
Combined Experiences
Eating in theatres
Separate Experiences
R Madhavan argued that people wanting lunch or dinner should go to a restaurant rather than eat in a theatre, calling theatre pani puri “stupidity.”
Combined Experiences
The article says there is nothing psychologically wrong with enjoying food while watching a film, and audiences may choose the cinema experiences they prefer.
Effect of multitasking
Separate Experiences
Delnna Rrajesh said divided attention can reduce how much people taste, absorb or hear because they are switching between several activities.
Combined Experiences
The article presents cinema dining and other combined forms of entertainment as choices that can provide pleasure, even though combining them does not necessarily increase enjoyment.
Role of boredom
Separate Experiences
Rrajesh said mild boredom can create space for reflection, daydreaming and thoughts to develop without constant new input.
Combined Experiences
The article does not advocate abandoning smartphones, cinemas or modern conveniences, and says extreme digital detoxes are generally unnecessary.
- Speaker
- R Madhavan
- Interview outlet
- M9 News
- Food mentioned
- Pani puri
- Expert
- Delnna Rrajesh, a psychotherapist and relationship breakthrough coach
- Central issue
- Whether eating and using other distractions during films reduces focused enjoyment
- Suggested experiment
- Try screen-free meals, phone-free conversations and films without simultaneous scrolling
- Reported trend
- R Madhavan was trending on Google for the previous 24 hours