Always wanted to watch your favourite Hollywood blockbusters on a screen that made you feel you were part of the action? IMAX — described as “the world’s most immersive movie experience” — has rolled into town at INOX (South City).

The new IMAX audi at the refurbished multiplex has a screen size of about 51ft (width) and 27ft (height), with a seating capacity of 257. The plex has already started screening Holly fare — on the IMAX platter this weekend is Dwayne Johnson’s action thriller Skyscraper and the superhero biggie Ant-Man and the Wasp.

“The launch of IMAX in Calcutta has been most awaited. I am certain that the people of Calcutta will like this cutting-edge movie viewing IMAX experience. Like always, at INOX, we strive to bring in the best for our guests,” said Rajeev Patni, vice-president, operations, INOX Leisure.

So, what sets IMAX apart from the standard movie-viewing experience? IMAX is short for Image MAXimum, a film format that can display images of far greater size and resolution than conventional film display systems. If the standard multiplex screen displays a film in 35mm format, IMAX does so in a 70mm format, resulting in a film-watching experience that “involves” the viewer.

Calcutta isn’t new to the IMAX experience. Cinemax at Mani Square had unveiled the format in 2009 but had to fold up operations a year-and-a-half later due to “lack of content”.

While most of the films screened at the new IMAX audi will be Hollywood — we are looking forward to Tom Cruise pulling off those daredevil stunts on this larger-than-life format in Mission Impossible: Fallout, releasing July 27 — there will also be the occasional Bollywood film. Aamir Khan’s Dhoom:3 was the first Bolly film to be released in the IMAX format; Padmaavat was the last Bolly film to be screened at IMAX.

Pictures: B. Halder