38 Years Without Movies — The Wait Ends!

For decades, due to terrorism and unrest, Kashmir — once known as heaven on Earth — had no movie screenings. Theaters were either shut down or abandoned, and cinema became a distant memory for the people of the valley.

But now, after a long break of 38 years, the silver screen is back in Kashmir. Thanks to improved peace and a rise in tourism, a movie was officially screened again in Srinagar. Bollywood actor Emraan Hashmi’s film ‘Ground Zero’ had its special premiere at the newly built INOX theatre in Srinagar.

This is the first film to be screened in a Kashmir theater in nearly four decades. Emraan Hashmi, producer Farhan Akhtar, actress Sai Tamhankar, and the rest of the film crew attended the event. Top officials and BSF personnel were also present at the premiere.

‘Ground Zero’, directed by Tejas Prabhaa Vijay, is produced under Farhan Akhtar’s Excel Entertainment. Emraan Hashmi plays Narendra Nath Dhar, a BSF commander. The story revolves around the life and struggles of BSF soldiers at the border.

In the past, Kashmir was often rocked by terrorist attacks and daily life was filled with fear and violence. Going to a cinema was out of the question. Old theaters were left to rot, and no new ones were built.

However, since 2014, after the Modi government came to power, the situation began to improve. Terror activities reduced, and with the abrogation of Article 370, things changed drastically.

Now, tourism has grown, film shootings have resumed, and as part of this positive shift, a new theater was built — bringing cinema back to the valley after 38 long years.

Pic Source: Nur Photo