Battered in Terror, J-K's Love for Cinema Was Concealed for Decades. But Valley's New Tale On Screen & in Life Begins Today

Aaqib Bhat is excited.

He is looking forward to the opening of Kashmir’s first multiplex in the Sonawar area of the city, which he says will put an end to his frequent trips outside the valley to watch Bollywood movies on the big screen. “I travel once every three to four months to Delhi or Jammu to watch the latest Hindi movies on the big screen. Although all the movies are available on various platforms within no time, the feel and experience of watching it on a big screen is unmatched,” Bhat told PTI.

The 30-year-old said ever since noted businessman Vijay Dhar announced his project for opening the first multiplex in Kashmir, he has been keeping a track of the development. “I think the wait is finally over!” he said. Dhar, who also owns a reputed private school here, said the multiplex will be thrown open to the public on Tuesday with a special screening of Aamir Khan-starrer ‘Lal Singh Chaddha’. “Regular shows will start from September 30 with the screening of Vikram Vedha, starring Hrithik Roshan and Saif Ali Khan,” Dhar said.

The first multiplex in Kashmir will have three movie theatres with a total capacity of 520 seats. The premises will also have a food court aimed at promoting the local cuisine. Bhat, who is into handicrafts business, said he travels regularly to places outside Kashmir mostly related to his work. “Many a time the line between business and pleasure, which for me is watching movies in a theatre, would blur. Now on, I will be travelling purely for business,” he said with a sheepish smile.

Multiplexes Inaugurated in Pulwama, Shopian

The scheduled opening of the multiplex, which will be operated by INOX, comes close on the heels of Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha inaugurating multipurpose cinema halls — one each in the twin Pulwama and Shopian districts.

Sinha took to Twitter after the inauguration to declare it a “historic day” for Jammu and Kashmir. “A historic day for J&K UT! Inaugurated Multipurpose Cinema Halls at Pulwama and Shopian. It offers facilities ranging from movie screening, infotainment and skilling of youth,” the LG tweeted.

The cinema halls have reopened in the valley after three decades as theatre owners downed their shutters in the Valley due to threats and attacks by militants in 1989-90.

Sinha described the occasion as “historic” saying “we will build such multipurpose cinema halls in every district of Jammu and Kashmir soon”. He said cinema halls in Anantnag, Srinagar, Bandipora, Ganderbal, Doda, Rajouri, Poonch, Kishtwar and Reasi will be inaugurated soon.

Asked if the government wanted to send out a message by building such cinema halls, the LG said, “There is no message.” “Cinema is a powerful creative medium which reflects the culture, values and aspirations of the people. It opens the door to the world of knowledge, new discoveries and enables people to get a better understanding of each other’s culture, Sinha said.

The Valley’s Tryst With the Screen

The Valley had seen nearly a dozen stand-alone cinema halls functioning till the late 1980s, but they had to wind up businesses after two militant outfits threatened the owners. Though authorities made attempts to reopen some of the theatres in the late 1990s, militants thwarted such efforts by carrying out a deadly grenade attack on Regal Cinema in the heart of Lal Chowk in September 1999, a report by PTI said.

Prior to the outbreak of terrorism in J&K in 1990, the valley had 19 cinema halls in Srinagar, Anantnag, Baramulla, Sopore, Handwara, and Kupwara, but these have since become ruins or are being used for other commercial purposes, a report by Statesman said.

In 1999, the Farooq Abdullah government attempted to reopen cinema halls by allowing Regal, Neelam, and Broadway to begin filming movies. However, a terrorist attack occurred during the first show at the Regal Cinema, killing one person and injuring twelve others. The theatres were locked once again.

Srinagar alone had ten cinema halls screening Bollywood films, including Firdaus, Shiraz, Khayam, Naaz, Neelam, Broadway, Regal, and Palladium. Many of Kashmir’s old theatres have been converted into hospitals and commercial centres, or have become makeshift camps for security forces.

The CRPF used the ruins of the iconic Palladium Theatre in the heart of Srinagar as their camp in the Lal Chowk. Terrorists set fire to the cinema hall.

Another attempt to reopen cinema halls was made two years ago during the BJP-PDP regime, when then-chief minister Mehbooba Mufti welcomed crown prince Mohammed Bin Salman’s decision to reopen movie theatres in the Islamic Republic of Saudi Arabia. However, radicals in the valley were opposed to any attempt to reopen cinemas, the report further explained.

A Love for Cinema, and New Era?

“Jammu and Kashmir has a long association with the world of cinema. The new film policy and facilities created has

once again made the Union Territory the favourite shooting destination and has brought back the golden era of film-making here,” the LG said.

A report in the Ground Report mentions, that except for those travelling to Jammu or other parts of the country, Kashmiri youth, particularly those born in the 1980s and later, had never seen a movie in a cinema hall.

“Despite this virtual ban on movies, the reality is completely different, Kashmiris love Bollywood movies and enjoy them on satellite television and the occasional piracy,” the report explains.

The report also talks about the lack of a Kashmiri film industry. “Unlike other Indian states where regional cinema thrives, Jammu and Kashmir has never had a film industry. In 1964, the first Kashmiri film, “Manzirat” (Henna Ceremony), was released and screened in a theatre in Kashmir’s main city. It received positive reviews from the general public and even won the President’s Award for Best Regional Film in Kashmir,” the report states.

Following Manzirat, there was “Shair-e-Kashmir Mahjoor” (Poet of Kashmir Mahjoor), a collaboration between the Kashmir Information Department and Bollywood filmmakers that was shot in both Urdu and Kashmiri. Since the release of Mahjoor 45 years ago, film production in Kashmir has come to a halt, it adds. Since then, no feature films have been made, with the exception of Jyoti Sarup’s 2001 film “Bub” (Father), which won a National Film Award. The film, however, was only shown in Jammu and never in Kashmir.

But now, things seem to be looking up for the valley.

After inaugurating the INOX multiplex in Srinagar on Tuesday, Sinha said, “with the advent of new film policies in the state, more films are being shot here now. We will also be establishing a Film city in the coming months, allotment of land for the Film city is done already.”

Reactions

Reactions to the development were varied. While various leaders lauded the new beginning, AIMIM leader Omar Abdullah said on Twitter, “Sir @manojsinha_ you have opened Cinema Halls in Shopian & Pulwama but why is Srinagar Jamia Masjid shut on every Friday at least don’t shut it during the afternoon matinee show.”

With inputs from PTI

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