Valley’s tryst with cinema: Kashmir’s first multiplex to open on Tuesday
Owned by a Kashmiri Pandit business family from Srinagar, the construction of a multiplex Inox has been completed and will be inaugurated by J&K Lt Governor Manoj Sinha
Srinagar: Kashmir’s first multiplex will open on Tuesday at Shivpora near Badami Bagh cantonment in the city.
Owned by a Kashmiri Pandit business family from Srinagar, the construction of a multiplex Inox has been completed and will be inaugurated by J&K Lt Governor Manoj Sinha. For the owners, this is a dream come true as they have been pursuing this for many years.
The inaugural show will be of Lal Singh Chadda, a recently released Bollywood film. This will mark a new beginning in the history of cinema in Kashmir. “For us, this is a big dream which has come true. Tomorrow, J&K’s Lt Governor, Manoj Sinha will inaugurate the multiplex and regular shows will start from September 30,” said Vikas Dhar, owner of the multiplex. “Tomorrow, we will screen Lal Singh Chadda for our guests.” On Sunday, LG inaugurated a multipurpose cinema hall each in Pulwama and Shopian.
Dhar said for the past couple of days they have been testing all the equipments and sound system installed in the multiplex. “Sitting in the cinema will be a new experience for movie buffs. We have installed state-of-the-art equipment. And it will all be a different experience from what it used to be 30 years ago in cinema halls in Kashmir,” said Dhar, who has been busy giving final touches to the multiplex before the opening.
It took four to five years to complete the multiplex, INOX, with three auditoriums, a food court and a total seating capacity of 520. “When we decided to open a multiplex in Kashmir, profit was never in our minds. We wanted to give our people entertainment and hope people will turn in good numbers to watch the movies once the regular shows begin,” he said.
After the closure of movie theatres in the militancy-ridden valley, the first attempt to open cinema halls was made in 1999, when movie theatres – Neelam, Regal and Broadway – opened in Srinagar. However, after militants lobbed a grenade at Regal Cinema, which led to the death of one person, the halls closed down.
The multipurpose cinema halls in Pulwama and Shopian districts can also be used for skill enhancement of youth, training and social awareness.
Outside the multiplex, CRPF personnel along with sniffer dogs were busy checking the outer layer and adjacent areas for security. “Our special emphasis was on the security of the multiplex. Besides the security provided by the government, we have also deployed private security personnel for the safety of the moviegoers,” Dhar said.