( Photo Source .. Internet Name mentioned .. Sameer Mushtaq )
MEMORIES OF SHIRAZ CINEMA SRINAGAR , KASHMIR.
In 1964, Shiraz cinema hall was opened at Khanyar locality
of Srinagar city. Raj kapoor's SANGAM was the first movie that was screened at
Shiraz Cinema .The movie drew crowds from all walks of life . School students ,
families and college students came in large numbers to see the movie. Songs of
this movie like, ‘O Mere Sanam , O Mere Sanam ‘ , ‘ Bol Radha bol sangam hoga
ki nahin ’ , O Mehbooba O Mehbooba , ‘ Dost Dost Na Raha ’, Har dil jo pyaar karega
’ and ‘Ye mera prem patra ’,etc. became quite popular in Kashmir during those
days. And then the song ' Ichh Liebe Dichh 'meaning I love you in German, won
hearts of young generation of that period. The song had Russian words ' YA
lyublyu tebya' meaning I love you . The song was picturised in colour on Raj
Kapoor and Vyjayanthimala . With ski slopes of Swiss Alps in the background ,
the song created a grand and lasting impression on cinema crowds.
Interlaken is a beautiful resort town in the mountainous region of central Switzerland. Sangam was shot
in Interlaken. Sangam became very important for Interlaken Tourism (
Switzerland ) because it gave most Indians their first glimpse of Swiss
mountains, glaciers and other romantic spots. It was the first Indian movie
shot in Switzerland.
This movie introduced Sangam sandals (ladies) in Kashmir.
SANGAM became a trusted and reliable name in trade and commerce . One could see
many shops that had boards like , Sangam Tea Stall, Sangam Shoes, Sangam
Embroidery Works, Sangam Tailors, Sangam Cloth House ,etc. We had the well
known SANGAM THEATRE ( Dramatic Club) in Kashmir .
For many years, the Punjabi shoe making shop at Badiyar Bala
( close to the house of artist DN Walli ) in Srinagar city sold SANGAM sandals
only.
In Kashmir , a movie was known as Kheil , a word that
literally means a game . The common sentence exchanged by movie goers was like
this ;-
‘Kya sa Kis Chha Ye Kheil ’
or
‘ Hello ! How is the Movie ? ’
People from Rainawari would usually go to Shiraz Cinema .
Students from Rainawari would bunk classes to see a movie in Shiraz cinema .
Tongawallas and drivers would join the late night show. This cinema hall was
barely one kilometer away from Rainawari .
The owners of Shiraz cinema were prompt in switching over to
religious movies during Eid or Shivratri . In 1968, Khan e Khuda was screened
in Shiraz and people removed their footwear outside the cinema hall as a mark
of devotion and respect . The cinema hall was washed everyday at the start of
the first show. People would enter with Sheerin ( candies ) that was showered
on the screen. Kashmiri Pandit women with their families would be seen watching
religious movies like HAR HAR MAHADEV or HARI DARSHAN or SAMPURAN RAMAYAN in
Shiraz cinema during Shivratri period mostly after the Salaam festivity.. They
would also be seen reciting some Mantra / Leela or clapping in the hall. Some
elderly Pandit women carried flowers to be showered on the screen as lord Shiva
appeared .
Religious movies were free from black-marketing of tickets ,
a common feature in all cinema halls of Srinagar city .For religious movies ,
tickets were freely available and quite often, sold at the entry gate by the
gate keepers .
Friday was the movie change day for cinema halls in Kashmir
. People would make enquiries about new movie on every Friday. Quite often
trailers of new arrivals were shown on the screen . The movie trailers would
lay emphasis in advertising things like , Cinemascope, 70mm, Technicolour,
Eastmancolour ,etc.
Once Narayan Joo Miyaan ,a teacher known for enforcing
discipline in DAV School ,Rainawari , caught some school boys outside Shiraz
Cinema gate and gave them good thrashing. The boys had bunked their classes to
watch Mehmood's Gumnaam . Gumnaam was screened in Shiraz Cinema at least five
times. And then some boys saw Narayan Joo Miyaan wiping his tears after he came
out of Shiraz Cinema where he had gone to see Sunil Dutt's Meherbaan. In the
DAV School , none believed that Narayan Joo had tears in his eyes or he could
weep . Narayan Joo had created an excellent football team for DAV School,
Rainawari. This team had some well known football players like Bashir Najar
,Habib Daandh and Wahid Rawal.These players later played for Zindshah football
club. Zia , who played for J&KSRTC football team was a student of DAV
School ,Rainawari. Narayan Joo Miyaan was a hockey player apart from being a
great patron of football.
Watching a movie in lower stall or third class, as it was
known during those days had some additional charm. You would find yourself in
the company of excited movie goers. This excited crowd would cheer up the hero
during some fight scene. The villain received nastiest abuses from lower stall.
This lower stall crowd blew whistles during a kiss scene. Some people would try
to throw burning cigarette bits towards the screen. These bits generally landed
on the walking space in front of the lower stall. Sometimes when the hero was
shown receiving some punches from the Villain, someone from the lower stall
would cry ,
"Parvaai na . Amiss gatchhan vaen biriyaana"
'No worry. This villain will soon be cut to pieces"
Hero getting punches from the Villain was simply
unacceptable to the crowd in lower stall.
Smoking inside cinema halls was a common practice in
Kashmir. With no exhaust fans or adequate air ventilation, Shiraz cinema hall
was full of smoke during movie time. Headache was a bonus in this cinema hall.
As the movie progressed, one would see men moving in darkness through columns
and rows crying" Cake piece Lefton (Lipton) Chai ' . They carried small
tea glasses in hangers made of wire along with some bakery items.
" "
More next time..
( Avtar Mota )
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