We've designed over 180 theatres in India and abroad, but each one is different. We never repeat our designs

Q.How did the concept of Mini Theatres come up?
HK: The concept of mini theatres came about accidentally. We had a massive bungalow in Ahmedabad and did not know what to do with so much space. I decided to convert the huge basement into a mini theater. I did a lot of research on the Internet, which had just been launched in India at that time. I managed to get a lot of information on the best equipment and took about 8 months to set up the first theater using a projector. The theater became popular in the town, and our journey began. Till date, we have set up about 180 such theaters across the country. Our client list includes a lot of individuals, corporates as well as movie stars.

Q. What is required to set up the best home mini- theater?
HK: Setting up a theater depends on two things; the size of the room and then it is customer's requirements which dictate the look of the theater. A perfect cube, circular and tunnel shaped rooms are the worst rooms. The best rooms are those with a rectangular shape. It is extremely important to acoustically prepare a room. Proper acoustics make the room 'dead' to echo. Bouncing sound diminishes the richness of the original sound from the source. All 6 surfaces of the room have to be treated against echo. Hard surfaces create the echo and reverb and there is a need to make these surfaces absorbent.

Himanshu Kumar, Founder, Mini Theatres

We use materials made from bonded polyester fiber which is completely green and safe, unlike glass wool which is toxic and hazardous. To top it off, polyester fiber is also fire resistant. Traditionally, people stayed away from acoustics in homes because they are bland to look at. But, we bring an element of design to the whole thing along with complete functionality.

Q. Do you choose the equipment to be put in the theaters?
HK: No. we do not do that ourselves. We only advise the consumers on what all equipments he/she can choose from. It is ultimately their choice as to what they choose to put in the theater.

Q. What is the level of automation provided in theaters?
HK: There is a lot of automation options we provide in the theaters we set up. Lights, air-conditioners and screen drapes are fully automated. There are a lot of customization options in the levels of automation we offer, and the basic automation options begin with the lighting. The lighting system is LED and Neon, which are dimmable and cold in nature.

Q.How do you ensure customer satisfaction?
HK: Customer satisfaction is of paramount importance to us. We never repeat a design. A design is created exclusively for a client. 3D shots and walkthroughs are created which gives the client a feel of what he is getting. After sales service is not really needed, unless a customer wants an extra gadget. In terms of maintaining the theater, the client should get it vacuum cleaned every 3 months.

Q. Which is your favorite gadget? What all gadgets do you use?
HK: I love movies and music, and for that I have a really good sound and audio system at home. I still don't have a proper home theater, but the system does the job! Apart from my huge collection of music and movies, I also have a lot of interest in photography. I use the Nikon D90 because of the versatility it offers. But the best gadget, by far, is my Blackberry. It is something I cannot live without.