Srinagar: After a gap of thirty years, cinema theaters have opened in Jammu and Kashmir for the entertainment of the people.
Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha inaugurated two cinema halls yesterday. Theaters were opened in Pulwama and Shopian. Speaking at the inauguration, Manoj Sinha said that the government will build more theaters in all districts of Jammu and Kashmir and use them for organizing skill development programs and entertainment programs besides screening movies. “This is a historic day for Jammu and Kashmir. Multipurpose cinema halls opened in Pulwama and Shopian. Offers film screenings, skill development programs and youth entertainment programs,’ the lieutenant governor’s office tweeted.
It was 32 years ago that Islamists shut down theaters, saying entertainment through audio-visual media was against Islamic principles. Before the 1990s, there were 19 cinema theaters in Jammu and Kashmir at places like Srinagar, Anantnag, Baramulla, Sopore, Handwara and Kupwara. After the closure, many were left to rot and some were used for commercial purposes.
