'Barbie' is just a movie for some, but for these UAE residents, it's a dream come true

British expat Harriet's entire childhood revolved around Barbie dolls. “I used to have a big set that I used to play with all the time,” she said. “So, when I heard about the Barbie movie, I knew that I wanted to watch it. I am still a big fan of the doll, and everything related.”

The Dubai resident had waited patiently for the movie to be released in the UAE. “When it released globally, I purposely kept away from reading anything because I wanted to be surprised,” she said. “It came at the perfect time too because I am travelling next week. I am so happy that I can watch the movie here before I travel.”

Harriet was at the Mall of the Emirates theatre with her friend Lorraine. “I am not a big Barbie fan, but all this hype has me intrigued,” said Lorraine. The two women posed for photos before heading inside to watch the film.

Barbie was released in the UAE on Thursday to record-breaking sales and unmatched enthusiasm. Many theatres were adding extra shows to meet the demand.

“We’ve seen an unprecedented surge in advance ticket purchases, prompting us to add extra showtimes to accommodate the high demand, leading to sold-out screenings,” said Murray Rea, director of operations at Roxy Cinemas.

Dream come true

For Tanisha, who is starting university in September, watching Barbie is a dream come true. “As a child, I was obsessed with Barbie,” she said. “I used to spend a lot of time and money on Barbie, so I had to watch the movie.”

She came to the theatre with her mother and aunt, and they were all dressed for the part. “I made them all dress up,” she said. “I wanted to make sure they all got into the groove of it.”

She said she had heard only good things about the movie. “I am a feminist and I have heard from my friends that I will love it,” she said. “A lot of them told me to go prepared to cry so I have my tissues ready as well.”

Filmmaker’s view

• Will under-15s be allowed to watch 'Barbie' in UAE cinemas?