Dhurandhar Craze Hits Kashmir's Small Towns, Theatres Full From Pulwama To Shopian

Dhurandhar, Aditya Dhar's new action-packed adventure film, has people spilling over in theatres even in small remote towns. The film has had houseful shows across several centres in Jammu & Kashmir including smaller towns such as Shopian and Pulwama, as per ANI reports.

What is more striking about the turnout in these places is that the theatrical exhibition has remained limited.

With audiences flocking in to the halls in both these regions, a renewed demand for big-screen entertainment and cinema-going in towns without multiplex infrastructure can be seen, the reports added.

Citara, a multiplex chain that operates small-format theatres with seating capacities of 100-150 seats across Jammu & Kashmir, has supported Dhurandar's performance, according to ANI.

Theatres like these have emerged as a practical alternative, offering local audiences an opportunity to experience films on the big screen, especially in the absence of contemporary multiplex infrastructure.

Pricing and scales in these theatres are in accordance with local market realities in remote areas like Shopian and Pulwama.

The prominent existence of these theatres is living proof of viability of smaller cinema formats in places where multiplexes do not operate.

Moreover, trade observers noted that in lieu of competing with multiplex chains, such theatres addressed a long-standing structural void in exhibition.

The reach of India cinema remains majorly constrained to metro cities and therefore India continues to remain significantly underscreened.

Larger capacities and higher pricing has negatively impacted occupancy levels in several non-metro markets even as multiplex-led expansion has driven screen growth over the past decade.

Consequently, compact theatres with lower operating costs and controlled seating are increasingly being seen as a sustainable model for Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities.