On Sunday, Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha inaugurated two cinema halls in Kashmir, one in Pulwama and the other in Shopian. This was not an ordinary event, as it marked the return of the big screen to the region after more than three decades.
“A historic day for J&K UT! Inaugurated Multipurpose Cinema Halls at Pulwama and Shopian. It offers facilities ranging from a movie screening, infotainment and skilling of youth,” tweeted Office of LG Manoj Sinha.
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. pic.twitter.com/QraMhHXSuN
— Office of LG J&K (@OfficeOfLGJandK) September 18, 2022
The cinematic history of Jammu and Kashmir came to a halt 32 years ago, when Fatwas from Islamists shut down theatres and banned movies, labelling any such audio-visual entertainment “Haram,” which means something against Islamic principles.
LG Manoj Sinha inaugurated a multipurpose cinema hall each in Pulwama and Shopian on Sunday, and said that the administration will build such multipurpose cinema halls in every district of Jammu and Kashmir. Apart from screening movies, the multipurpose theatres will also be used for various other purposes like infotainment and skill development programs.
Before the onset of Islamic terrorism in J&K in 1990, the valley had 19 film halls in Srinagar, Anantnag, Baramulla, Sopore, Handwara, and Kupwara, however, these have either become ruins or are being used for various commercial purposes. Srinagar alone had ten cinema halls screening Bollywood films, including Firdaus, Shiraz, Khayam, Naaz, Neelam, Broadway, Regal, and Palladium.
In 1999, the Farooq Abdullah government attempted to revive cinema theatres 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. Terrorists had attacked the cinema hall with three powerful hand grenades, and as a result, the theatres were once again locked.
The CRPF used the ruins of the historic Palladium Theatre in the centre of Srinagar as their camp at Lal Chowk. Terrorists set fire to the cinema hall.
Another attempt to restore cinema halls was attempted two years ago during the BJP-PDP rule when then-chief minister Mehbooba Mufti applauded crown prince Mohammed Bin Salman’s decision to reopen movie theatres in the Islamic Republic of Saudi Arabia. However, Hurriyat leader Sayyed Ali Shah Geelani and other Islamists in the valley were opposed to any attempt to reopen cinemas.
The Jammu and Kashmir government released its first film policy in August 2021, months after the Jammu and Kashmir Film Development Council (JKFDC) was established to encourage filmmakers. The key objectives of the policy are to reopen closed cinema halls and set up multiplexes in the Valley.
While today the LG opened smaller multipurpose theatres in Pulwama and Shopian, multiplexes are also being opened in Kashmir. A three-screen INOX with a total capacity of 520 seats will be opened in Srinagar next week.
