Srinagar: After over three decades, Kashmir valley finally saw the revival of cinema. With people queuing up to watch the movies on the big screen, the film culture is back in the Valley. Dharma Productions' 'Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahani' is the third film in the last six months running houseful in the valley's lone multiplex.
The Kashmir's lone theatre has received a bumper opening for Karan Johar's 'Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahani'. The pre-bookings done for the movie suggest that it will be houseful for quite some time. The theatre is running 4 shows of the movie every day.
"Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahani is the first show fully booked, second show fully booked, I am not sure about tomorrow as it is Muharram and there could be restrictions but Sunday onwards the shows are booked and it's going to be a big movie. Recently, Karan Johar thanked the people of Kashmir, we are going to send him a video showing how people are showering love on the film. A lot of people are aware that it's been shot at Gulmarg and are excited to see it on the big screen. Its very exciting.'' said Vikas Dhar, Owner, Inox, Multiplex.
Last week, Christopher Nolan’s 'Oppenheimer' was running houseful shows in Srinagar. This had taken the owners of the Multiplex by surprise. 'Oppenheimer' was running back-to-back houseful shows making it the first Hollywood film to show such a response in the valley.
Hundreds of people have seen the movie since the release of the film. Srinagar's multiplex ran four shows of the movie every single day and most of them ran houseful. The tickets for 'Oppenheimer' were sold even before the release of the film.
"I knew the first show would be a houseful, people were calling me on phone and social media asking me not to skip 'Oppenheimer'. It must happen in Srinagar as well. We kept the promise but the kind of sustained had, and the kind of engagement is unbelievable. These kids are watching and discussing the movie as if they are the students of history. It's a very relevant matter in my time. I am shocked to see how people know Christopher Nolan and all," said Vikas Dhar, Owner, Inox, Multiplex.
The first film to go houseful in the Srinagar's Lone theatre was Shahrukh Khan-starrer 'Pathan'. It saw a massive response from the public in the valley and ran houseful for weeks. The filmgoers not only from Srinagar but other far-flung districts of the Kashmir region are coming to the cinema to watch his film on bigger screen. And for the young generation of the Valley, they have never seen a theatre in their lives. Kashmir has had dozens of Cinema Halls till the early 1990, but with the start of insurgency, All the cinema halls in the Valley were shut down.
"I have spent my 15 years in Delhi, and living there and not becoming a filmgoer does not arise. The first cinema hall has opened here, and I come here often, especially on the weekends and spend time here. Watching movies in cinema was considered a taboo but that is changing now. It's so good to spend time with family and friends at this Multiplex. I am watching this movie because it's about family love. We should spend time with families and watch movies together. I would suggest everyone to come and watch movies on screen," said Zainab Bhat, Local.
The Multiplex located in Srinagar's Shivpora area has three screens and a total seating capacity for around 520 people. And it's the third time after the reopening of the cinema in Valley, that housefull boards have popped up outside the Multiplex.
