Come September, cinema returns to Kashmir after 32 years of intermission

INOX to open a three-screen multiplex in Srinagar, its first

Every time Mohammad Yusuf Sheikh (55) passes through Khanyar in downtown Srinagar, he vividly recalls the hustle and bustle of the old city back in the relatively peaceful 1980s.

One of his abiding memories from the time is of Shiraz Cinema — which Khanyar was once famous for, along with handicraft — and crowds from districts in the Valley queuing up every weekend for a new Bollywood release.

Shiraz Cinema, shut for over three decades, has long been a shelter for armed forces. It is a shared fate for cinemas since 1990 when the insurgency erupted in Kashmir. But the long and almost entirely uninterrupted spell of shutdown of theatres is about to end, with cinema chain INOX opening a multiplex in Srinagar in the first week of September.

A movie buff and die-hard fan of Amitabh Bachchan, Sheikh has over time consumed cinema on videocassette recorder, DVD player, cable TV and, more lately, YouTube.

“I tell my children about a time when cinema was an essential part of our lives. We would save money, and some would even work as a daily wager for a day, for a Bollywood film,” says Sheikh, who is planning to watch a movie at the multiplex with family.

The multiplex, which includes three screens with a combined seating capacity of 520 people, is located near the headquarters of the Indian Army’s 15 Corps in a high-security zone.

Its owner, Vijay Dhar, a Kashmiri Pandit, thought of multiplex as a venture four years ago. “The movie business is in my blood since we ran Broadway Cinema in Srinagar till 1990. While discussing entertainment options for youth at home, we felt movies have a rich history in Kashmir,” he says.

“Before the’90s, cinemas used to be a place for social gatherings and entertainment. Our youth don’t have enough means of entertainment, so I want to revive that experience,” he adds.

Until 1990 Kashmir had scores of movie theatres, but with the rise of militancy every building was forced shut. The then state government led by Farooq Abdullah attempted to reopen two cinema halls — Neelam and Broadway — in 1999-2000. Broadway was shut again within a few months.

Neelam Cinema soldiered on as the last functional theatre until it shut for good in 2010. Cine goers had a narrow escape when militants targeted the cinema on September 7, 2005. Two militants and a policeman were killed in the incident.

A touch of Kashmir

To lend uniqueness, Dhar says, the multiplex has been designed with papier-mâché and the khatamband woodwork in its ceiling. “The construction got delayed due to various reasons. But we have ensured it has modern sanitation, fire alarm equipment and a nice ambience.”

Besides new Bollywood movies, the multiplex will encourage screening films that are exclusively shot in Kashmir.

Alok Tandon, chief executive officer, INOX Leisure, promises that the multiplex will boast top-notch cinema technology and audience comforts. Besides incorporating popular elements of local art such as the khatambandh patterns in the lobby, he adds: “We are very particular about curating F&B (food and beverage) choices for all our cinemas. This multiplex, too, will have a wide array of choices on the menu, along with some local fare.”

Appeal for youth

Sami Khan, 28, has been to cinema halls in other states. Ever since he heard about the opening of a multiplex in Srinagar, he and his friends have made plans.

“Till now we have been watching movies either on TV or OTT platforms. Our generation doesn’t know what a cinema hall looks like. So, my friends and I plan to attend the first show and dine out,” he says.

Dhar also plans to set up a gaming zone and a food court at the multiplex.

Tandon says that Indian cinema has had a long relationship with Kashmir, favoured for its scenic beauty for shoots. “While cinemas might not have operated in Kashmir for a long time, entertainment seekers there have similar needs and aspirations as those in other parts of the country. Therefore, our expectations are very high with this multiplex.”

State push for cinema

In August 2021, the Jammu and Kashmir government unveiled its first-ever film policy months after the J&K Film Development Council (JKFDC) was set up to attract Bollywood. One of the main aims of the policy is to reopen closed cinemas and set up multiplexes in the Valley.

“The government of Jammu and Kashmir shall encourage and incentivise owners to reopen closed cinema halls. All the incentives to such units shall be governed under the provisions of J&K Industrial Policy 2021,” reads the policy document. The government also proposes upgrading existing cinema halls to “give a unique experience to the viewers”. Incentives are also being offered by the government for setting up multiplexes and new cinema halls in the Union Territory.

The Jammu and Kashmir government has created a Rs 500-crore Film Development Fund in the information department, for disbursal of subsidies over five years as envisaged in the film policy.

Under the policy, JKFDC also plans to create an ecosystem for making Jammu and Kashmir a preferred destination for filming. In the last one year, the local government has granted permission to over 150 filmmakers from the Hindi and Telugu film industries to shoot movies and web series.

According to official sources, JKFDC has received more than 500 applications from filmmakers for resuming shoots.

Says Afaq Rasool Gadda, a films officer at the information department: “While a few films have already been shot here, some new ones will be filmed in the coming weeks.

Portions of the Aamir Khan-starrer Lal Singh Chaddha were shot in Kashmir, while a team of National Geographic also came for a shoot recently, Gadda says. “From documentary to feature films, big banners are now showing interest in shooting in the union territory,” he adds.

The multiplex debut in Srinagar may just be a trailer of cinema thriving again in Kashmir.