Aditya Dhar’s ‘Dhurandhar’ is drawing packed crowds in Jammu & Kashmir, including towns like Shopian and Pulwama. Supported by Citara’s small-format cinemas, the film shows rising interest in big-screen entertainment beyond metros. Experts say these compact theatres fill crucial exhibition gaps and revive cinema culture in smaller regions.

‘Dhurandhar,’ directed by Aditya Dhar, is attracting big crowds in Jammu & Kashmir, including smaller towns like Shopian and Pulwama, where movie shows are usually limited. The strong response shows that people in the region are excited to watch films on the big screen again, even in places without multiplexes.

The strong response to the film also owes much to Citara, which runs a string of small-format theaters across Jammu & Kashmir. With seating for 100 to 150 people, these venues have stepped in where multiplexes are limited, giving moviegoers in smaller towns a proper big-screen experience.

In areas such as Shopian and Pulwama, where there are no multiplexes, ‘Dhurandhar’ has still drawn steady crowds. It is proving that smaller theaters can succeed when ticket prices and operations match local demand. Industry experts believe these cinemas are filling a crucial gap in the region’s exhibition network.

India continues to remain significantly underscreened, particularly beyond metro cities. While multiplex-led expansion has driven screen growth over the past decade, larger capacities and premium pricing have impacted occupancy levels in several non-metro markets.

As reported by ANI, Rahul Nehra, Managing Director of Citara Plex, commented on the film’s response, saying, “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 theaters when the experience is affordable, accessible, and close to home.”