Srinagar’s first multiplex: After a gap of more than three decades cinema halls will stream movies in Kashmir valley with the opening of first multiplex in the capital Srinagar next month.

The multiplex is being established by the prominent Dhar family that ran famous Broadway cinema before breakout of terrorism in 1990.

The new multiplex is coming up in a safe and secure place in Sonawar that is near the military cantonment in Srinagar.

Youth of Kashmir is excited over the coming up of the multiplex that would enable them to watch movies after over three decades.  They had to travel 300 kms to Jammu if they intended to go to cinema hall.

The multiplex designed by INOX, is scheduled to be opened to the public in September, say reports.

The multiplex has three movie theaters with a combined seating capacity of at least 520 people. The most advanced Dolby sound systems are installed and it is exquisitely crafted. The multiplex’s food courts and other entertainment options are the other attractions for the people.

INOX has made efforts to match this multiplex with the country’s other top multiplexes.

It is worth mentioning that successive governments in J&K made attempts to revive the cinema but those efforts were scuttled by terror outfits, separatists and fundamentalists who claimed that such entertainment was un-Islamic.

At least three cinema halls, Broadway, Neelam and Regal, were reopened sometime in 1999, but these were again shut down after grenade attacks by terrorists.

With the opening of its first multiplex amusement and entertainment would return to the valley after thirty years when the cinema halls were set on fire and forced to shut down by the terrorist. For younger generation which has never seen a cinema hall in their life time in the valley this would be a new way of entertainment.

Kashmir was the favourite hub for every filmmaker for shooting the movies before terrorism came to the valley.  due to terrorism not only the movie makers turned away from Kashmir, the  cinema halls were also declared out of bounds by terrorist outfits.

Ruins of the iconic Palladium Cinema still stands in Srinagar’s Lal Chowk as a reminder of terrorism when 32 years ago it was set on fire and forced to shutdown.