The reopening of cinema halls after three tumultuous decades in Baramulla and Kupwara, the frontier districts in north Kashmir, is a sign that these former hotbeds of militancy in the 1990s are inching back towards normalcy.
Located close to the Line of Control (LoC), both districts were used by different militant outfits to infiltrate into the Valley and also help members go in the opposite direction for arms training. At the height of the insurgency in the Valley, militants used these two districts as their premier routes to keep in touch with their minders in neighbouring Pakistan.
Two multipurpose cinema halls with 100 seats each have recently been thrown open for the public in Baramulla and Kupwara.
"Cinema won’t be an overnight success in Kashmir," Kashmir-born Bollywood director Tariq Bhat explains. "It is a big challenge for filmmakers but everyone is ready to deal with it. Cinema will again rise in Kashmir. It will open ample opportunities for local artists," he said.
"Cinemas used to be houseful all over the state back in the 1990s. That era is coming back now. Youth in Kashmir don't know about cinema halls as they have not experienced them for the last three decades,” he said, adding that just 5 to 10 per cent of the young population had been to movie halls when they were living or studying outside J&K.
“Apart from local artists and technicians, a sizable number of people engaged in different services in cinema halls will get job opportunities as well,” said Bhat.
Bhat believes that the reopening of cinema halls will also help revive the film industry in Kashmir. He said that a number of J&K based artists aren't able to find work in Mumbai because their accents were different. “They are not surviving there. It would be good if they used their talent here instead,” he said.
Noted historian of the Kashmir Valley Zareef Ahmad Zareef, while recalling the 1990s era, said that initially wine shops and bars were attacked following which cinema halls were also set ablaze. “There was no other source of entertainment back in the 1990s. People were very fond of cinema then, especially the middle class, and would visit movie halls in large numbers,” he said, reeling off names of famous theatres such as Paladium, Regal, Amrohi, Neelum, Sheeraz, Firdous, Khyber and Samad.
“The government of India would send news reels which were translated in the local language for the general public. Some programs like Ehsaas were shown back then which highlighted social issues like dowry,” he added.
The reopening of cinema halls has ignited hopes among local artists as well. They believe that more opportunities will come their way with the revival and are hoping that cinemas are once again a major success in the Valley.
Muteen Rajput, an actress from Kashmir, said she was happy. “It feels really good to have a local audience and makes every artist feel very special,” she said.
It would be even more encouraging, she said, to have a movie completely shot and directed locally and shown in cinemas here. She believes that the reopening of theatres will give an additional boost to local artists. “Everyone is very excited. Cinemas in Kashmir are going to be a major success in times to come,” she said.
Saqib Wani, another Kashmir based actor, said that the reopening of cinema halls is a step in the right direction. “Kashmiris haven’t watched movies for the last three decades in a cinema hall. We even want PVR, not just INOX. It should happen on a fast-track basis.” He said that movies with a local cast and crew should also be revived.
"Kashmir is now ready for cinema related activities, which will be a major success in the Valley. Youth are inclined towards these types of things now,” he said.
Meanwhile, locals are also excited and happy with the reopening of cinema halls in the Valley, saying it will once again provide opportunities for outings.
Masoor Banday, a north Kashmir resident, said, “Entertainment sources must be there like in the 1990s. It was the turmoil that forced the closure of cinemas in the Valley. Everything is available on smartphones now but cinemas would allow family outings and help friends to enjoy movies together," he said.
Recalling his college days, Banday said that they used to witness huge queues outside every cinema hall. “Getting a ticket back then was an uphill task,” he said.
Rahul Nehra, director of Jadooz Media which is operating cinema halls in Kupwara and Baramulla, said they are receiving an encouraging response from the public. “The Shahrukh Khan starrer Pathan is being showcased these days. People are eagerly waiting for new releases,” he said.
He said that they are reporting 30 to 50 per cent occupancy. “Cinemas are going to be a big success. We had not expected this kind of response,” he added.
Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir Manoj Sinha has repeatedly said that every district of the region will have a separate cinema hall. As per the administration, these multipurpose cinema halls under public partnership are aimed at providing recreational facilities to the people, reviving vibrant cultural spaces for the young generation to discuss and deliberate through seminars.
However, both districts are now fighting a different battle -- this time against the increasing illicit trade of drugs, narcotics and other banned substances through the Line of Control (LoC), despite the February 2021 ceasefire agreement between the armies of India and Pakistan. The districts have witnessed several infiltration attempts, with 15 infiltrators having been killed along the Line of Control (LoC) this year, mostly in Kupwara.
Can the movies bring about a picture perfect ending that everyone is yearning for? We'll have to wait and see.