'Dhurandhar' draws housefull crowd in Shopian, Kashmir; sparks revival of cinema culture in smaller cities

Mumbai: The Ranveer Singh starrer Dhurandhar recorded houseful shows in several smaller towns and cities in Jammu & Kashmir. The pattern was observed in Shopian and Pulwama, where theatrical exhibition is limited. Experts claimed that the interest showcased by the audience in these places points towards the renewed demand for theatre experience among small-towners. 

Citara, a multiplex chain which operates small-format theatres with a limited capacity of 100–150 seats across Jammu & Kashmir, has facilitated this renewed demand. They provide accessible and affordable big-screen options for cinephiles in the area. However, the chain does not operate in small places like Shopian and Pulwama. 

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Despite it, Dhurandhar registered strong occupancies, depicting the untapped demand for theatrical viewing, where the scale and rates match the local realities. Traders opined that the small threaters in such regions are making it up for the structural gap.

It is important to note that the country remains underscreened, especially beyond the big metro cities. While multiplex-led expansion penetrated into several markets, leading to growth, smaller theatres with low cost and limited seating are observed to be a viable exhibition model in Tier 2 and Tier 3 locations.

 Rahul Nehra, MD, Citara Plex said, “Our focus has been on building right-sized cinemas for smaller markets. The response to Dhurandhar in towns like Shopian and Pulwama reinforces our belief that audiences will come to theatres when the experience is affordable, accessible, and close to home.”

Dhurandhar, on its 10th day, crossed over Rs 300 crore in India. The film directed by Aditya Dher also features  Sanjay Dutt, Arjun Rampal and Soumya Trivedi. It is produced by Dhar and his brother Lokesh Dhar under their banner B62 Studios along with Jyoti Deshpande of Jio Studios.