Oscar winner Jean Dujardin as George Valentin (left), and Berenice Bejo as Peppy Miller in a scene from The Artist. AP Photo

Patna, March 2: Riteish Deshmukh and Genelia D’Souza beat Oscar winner Jean Dujardin and Berenice Bejo hands down in the state capital.

The winner of a quiz who was offered a ticket to a show of The Artist at Cinepolis, refused to accept the prize. Instead, he chose to catch Tere Naal Love Ho Gaya, which stars the newly married couple in the lead.

Asked the reason for his curious choice, second-year BTech student Raghib Khan — the winner of the quiz — told The Telegraph: “I don’t want to watch a silent film. I think it will be boring. I don’t even know the actors; I have never seen any film in which they have acted. There is no song, action or dance in the film.”

It is undeniable that a silent film in our contemporary times of digital sound is somewhat like a daguerreotype compared to hi-definition picture but The Artist does have song, dance and action. Of course all that is a far cry from the soundtrack composed by Sachin-Jigar to which Ritesh and Genelia gyrate in the rom-com.

But what about the five Oscars, including Best Picture, Best Director and Best Actor, that it bagged recently? Khan said: “It may have won Oscars but it is not worth watching. Had it been a Hollywood action film like Ghost Rider 2, I would have watched it. But since I won the ticket, why would I waste it on something so alien?”

He added: “I don’t think The Artist will be very popular in Patna.”

Khan was correct. The gritty black-and-white paean to silent era by director Michel Hazanavicius that narrates the story of a superstar and a young heroine found few takers in the capital. Only 10 people were present today in the multiplex with a capacity to seat 200. Most of those who did come were not movie buffs but couples who wanted to spend a few hours in private. There were no advance bookings either.

Lawyer Parijat Saurabh, one of the few people who came to watch the film, said: “I think the people of Patna are not yet ready to watch art films. They are more interested in movies full of action, drama and song. Most of the people like masala movies.”

Cinepolis manager Abhishek Ranjan believes that the reason for low turnout is the taste of the people. He said: “Films like Mission Impossible 4 and Underworld did good business. Even Ghost Rider 2 is doing well. But it is really disappointing that only 10 people have come to watch the Oscar-winning film. May be the people of Patna are not aware of the importance of such an award.”

There is only one show of The Artist in Patna but that too could fade away like silent films. “If we don’t get good response by Monday, we would have to discontinue with the show,” said Ranjan.

George Valentin, it seems, will not say the only words he can speak to the audience in the state capital.