'Dhurandhar' signals cinema revival with housefull shows in Kashmir’s Shopian

In the absence of multiplexes in the region, single-screen theaters have provided accessible and affordable big-screen options for local audiences.

Aditya Dhar's Dhurandhar, in its third week, is storming into the theaters and is receiving a thunderous response from all quarters. Continuing its dominance, the Ranveer Singh starrer has been on an unprecedented and record-shattering run, breaking its own and industry records day by day. With its consistently swelling box office collections, Dhurandhar is redefining box office trends.

The espionage drama has registered housefull shows across several centres in Jammu & Kashmir, including smaller towns such as Shopian and Pulwama, where theatrical exhibition has remained limited. Thanks to the positive word of mouth and impressive audience turnout, Dhurandhar has renewed the demand for cinema-going in the region.

The movie's successful run is supported by Citara, a multiplex chain which operates small-format theatres with seating capacities of 100–150 seats across Jammu & Kashmir. In the absence of multiplexes in the region, these theatres have provided accessible and affordable big-screen options for local audiences.

In centres like Shopian and Pulwama, where multiplexes do not operate, Aditya Dhar's Dhurandhar has sustained strong occupancies, underlining the untapped demand for theatrical viewing when pricing and scale are aligned with local market realities.

Trade experts say that these theatres are filling a structural gap rather than competing with large multiplex chains. Smaller theatres, with lower operating costs and controlled seating, are increasingly emerging as a viable exhibition model in Tier 2 and Tier 3 locations.

Commenting on the response, 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 has emerged as the biggest 2nd Friday, biggest 2nd Saturday and biggest 2nd Sunday in the history of Hindi cinema. This unprecedented momentum has helped the movie to reach a gross of Rs 552.70 crore globally in just 10 days.