Srinagar: India’s first Floating Theatre has been inaugurated in Srinagar’s iconic Dal Lake
The facility is meant for tourists who visit Kashmir and stay in houseboats.
The authorities have installed a large screen in the lake, which can be visible from a distance.
This could be termed as a first step for reviving cinema theaters in Kashmir.
The UT administration recently unveiled its much-awaited Film Policy to revive cinemas and to attract Bollywood towards the valley.
The floating theater has been started by Jammu and Kashmir Tourism department in collaboration with Smart City Srinagar and Mission Youth J&K.
Iconic Bollywood movies like “Kashmir Ki Kali” are being played on the screen for tourists.
Usually, tourists begin their trip with a stay in a houseboat in Dal Lake.
While this is the first theatre to currently run in the valley, both tourists and locals are excited about it.
“I am feeling great. It’s India’s first floating cinema and It’s a beautiful experience. We are enjoying a lot. Srinagar is a must-visit place to visit. We should recommend this to everyone and no one should be afraid to come here,” said Riya a tourist from West Bengal.
The authorities believed that the facility will benefit tourism.
“We started an open theatre in the middle of Dal Lake. People can see movies while sitting in shikaras. It’s a novel idea. And there would be a movie about houseboats running in this theatre to give tourists an insight. We will do a laser show around it too. This will give a lot of confidence to the houseboat community and help in growing tourism in the Kashmir Valley,” said Director Tourism, G N Itoo.
Locals too are excited about the floating cinema and laser lights being introduced by the administration.
“We have seen such big screens in places like Goa backwaters. This is a good idea. It will attract tourists. Besides enjoying backwater, they would also have a thrilling experience of watching a movie in the lake,” said Gulzar Ahmad a trader.