VCP and VCR

 When I was young owing a VCP was considered as the ultimate luxury. People who owned VCRs were considered even more richer. For me VCR was totally out of picture and VCP was considered as something which we could aim for.

In those days busying second hand items was a thing and since owning a new VCP was out of our reach my Dad used to hunt for second hand VCPs. Even that will happen once or twice in a year. Every time someone will bring the system to our home or we used to go to the shop but we didn't buy because we couldn't afford the cost quoted by the seller. This happened even for tape recorders but that is for another blog.

I vividly remember my Dad taking me and my brother to a shop in Nungambakkam for checking out a second hand VCP. We got down at Nungambakkam station and walked for few minutes and reached the shop. The guy in the shop showed us a VCP. All the while my heart was beating faster as I felt that was it. We were going to own a VCP. I was already planning on the videos I should rent. But to my dismay the discussions didn't work out and we came back without buying. My Dad bought us a chocolate ice cream on the way back which was considered another luxury.

I also remember visiting some shops like VGP for buying new VCPs and coming empty handed because of the price.

Some if the famous brands around that time were Akai and Funai. The latter was considered as cheaper option. There used to be a brand called National which was a costlier option.

Our neighbor bought a Akai VCP. They used to put a yellow cloth on top of it for protection from dust. They used to rent lot of movies and we could hear when a new movie was playing. When we know they are playing a movie I and my brother used to sneak in and sit there.

I remember watching Manathil Uruthi Vendum, Armour of God, Blood Sport, Oruvar Vazhum Alayam, Vaai Kozhupu and few Ramarajan movies at their home. They never sent us away. They always welcomed us. Some of the movies were beyond my understanding at that age and my back would start to hurt as we had to sit for 2 hours. Still we used to watch.

My Periyappa bought new Funai VCP and left it in our home for few months. Those were golden days and I watched Kodi Parakuthu, Un Kannil Neer Vazhindhal and Sindhu Bhairavi innumerable times as the video cassettes were with us for few weeks.

The other option to satisfy our  VCP urge was renting out a VCP and the weekends when we used to rent one were always exciting. Sometimes the VCPs will not be available for rent leading to disappointment.

Some of the famous video rentals available in Nanganallur during that time were Utham Video, Gopinath Video, Sundar and J K Electronics. Going to these shops and looking through the catalogue were some of the best feelings of my childhood.

I also remember one of my friend who owned a VCR recording Marugo Marugo song from Vetri Vizha when it was played in Oliyum Oliyum.

By the time I owned my own VCR I was around 25 and was working. I bought it in Germany even though DVDs had just been launched. I somehow wanted to own my own VCR and I bought a top end model. It was a Sony. But I didn't use it extensively as VCDs had taken over India and video cassettes became rare. I still owned few movies like Saving Private Ryan, Who am I, Lake Placid in vide cassettes. I used to buy from Landmark.

I still have the VCR and it carries so many memories.