Is 'RRR' the first film to release in Kashmir theatres since 1947?

Hyderabad: After Jammu and Kashmir Lt. Governor Manoj Sinha inaugurated Kashmir's first multiplex theatre in Srinagar on 20 September, several social media users have claimed that S.S Rajamouli's action drama 'RRR' is the first film to be played in cinema theatres in Kashmir after 1947.

An Instagram page, Liptimes, called it a historical moment in the history of Jammu and Kashmir.

Several Facebook users have also made the same claim. (Click here, here, and here to view the posts.)

A website, Mirchi Plus, made the same claim in an article titled "RRR becomes the first film to be played in Kashmir cinemas after 1947."

Fact Check

NewsMeter ran a keyword search and found an article published by WION titled "After three decades, cinema returns to Kashmir; first multiplex to open in September." According to the article, Kashmir had around 15 cinema halls in the 90s. However, they were closed down after the spread of terrorism in the valley.

An article by Firstpost said "cinema halls were among the first casualties of rising militancy in the valley." It mentioned that the militant group Allah Tigers had announced the ban on theatres and bars through local newspapers in 1989. The extremist group had branded films "unislamic," and some of the theatres were set on fire.

The article also carried a graphic detailing the history of cinema halls in Kashmir, and it noted that the Farooq Abdullah-led government, in 1999, attempted to reopen three cinema halls. However, the theatres were closed after the terror attack during the first show.

Forbes India reported that Vijay Dhar, along with Indian movie theatre chain Inox, has taken the first step to revive the movie culture in the Valley. After 32 years, he opened the first multiplex in Srinagar.

"Cinema has been in my blood. The film industry in Kashmir is probably the oldest in the country—it was in 1932 that the first cinema, Kashmir Talkies [later renamed Palladium], was set up in Srinagar. Bombay Talkies started in 1934. Apart from that, we used to run a cinema here called Broadway. It was quite popular, but had to be shut down," Dhar told Forbes India.

It is evident that Kashmir had cinema halls since 1932, but with rising militancy after 1990, cinema halls in the valley were forced to close. Hence, the claim is false.