SWARN THEATRE, GOLE MARKET, GANDHI NAGAR, JAMMU: AN ORAL AND LOCAL HISTORY

                                        

SWARN THEATRE, GOLE MARKET, GANDHI NAGAR, JAMMU: AN ORAL AND LOCAL HISTORY 

According to many elders, the site was seen as an open ground in 1964 when it was being demarcated with big stones coloured with white  lime for a cinema theatre under the name and style "Swarn Theater". Its first premiere show was screened in May-June 1969. The first  movie screened  in the hall, Sajan , starring Manoj Kumar and Asha Parekh had huge crowds in each show and had  packed hall for many weeks .

The theatre was owned by Bhalla and Khurana families of Jammu. For film procurement, the proprietors conducted business with Elora Films, a reputed film distribution house based in Jalandhar. It is recorded that Swarn Theatre was probably the first cinema hall in Jammu to be equipped with a Dolby Sound System.

The cultural significance of the hall is evident from the reception of Raj Kapoor's films.  Bobby was released in this hall and drew crowds from all corners of Jammu province. Another film, Raj Kapoor's Dharam Karam, was noted to have run for a long time and attracted large crowds at this cinema hall.

The theatre held particular importance for Kashmiri audiences. It was a cinema hall in Jammu that was thronged by Kashmiris during winters when families shifted to Jammu, the winter capital, primarily on account of the Darbar Move. A distinguishing feature noted by viewers was that here people did not have to deal with ticket black-marketeers, as was the usual practice in the cinema halls of the Kashmir Valley.I remember having seen some Hollywood movies in the morning show in this cinema hall.

A local viewer retains a hazy recollection of watching Tezaab in this hall with his family. Shortly thereafter, with the onset of terrorism in the Kashmir Valley, Jammu city also witnessed instances of violence, including a bomb blast in a movie theatre. Consequently, families imposed a self-regulated curfew on visits to cinema halls.

This security environment led to a structural change in exhibition practice. All movie theatres in Jammu altered their show timings. The late-night 9:00 p.m. show was cancelled and a new morning 9:00 a.m. show was introduced. Despite this, viewership persisted. A viewer recalls obtaining parental permission to watch ,'Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge' with friends, seated in the fourth row from the screen in the lower stall, and later viewing ,'Hum Aapke Hain Kaun' and 'Pyaar Kiya To Darna Kya'. According to his recollection, 'Koi Mil Gaya' was the last film he watched there, indicating continued operation at least until 2003.

The decline is attributable to two intersecting factors. First, the pan-Indian decline in single-screen theatre revenues, with the exception of small centres, rendering maintenance economically unviable. Second, a rumoured dispute amongst the partners with litigation pending before the court.

My friend and colleague Pran Wali has this to add:

"During1970-1971 , we ; myself, Nanajee Bhan and B L Kakroo used to visit Swarn Theater in late evening shows then used to come back home on foot upto our respective places Julakah Mohalla, Lakshmi Mandir Lane, Pacca Danga.and Peer Mitha. Once ,we went to see 'Mera Naam Joker' in Shanker Theatre at Canal Road . It was also late show. The cinema hall had no generator. The movie was also more for more than 3 hours due and due to frequent power cuts, we left Shanker Theatre at approximately 1.30 AM .So, we could not go to our respective places . We had night stay at the Bus Stand which was a new structure and was not inaugurated till then . In the morning, we went to Shiv Mandir and had a bath and then left for our respective residences. That was life those days."

My friend and colleague Anil Bali has this to add:

"First release was undoubtedly Saajan, it was a real treat to watch movie in this theatre, after Saajan another release was Gopal Sehgal’s Gustakhi Maaf - comedy, then was the movie Doli and so on and so forth; anyways simply nostalgic for me .I hold many memories of this cinema hall and of the active partner Mr Khorana. While talking about this cinema, role of Mr Bansi Lal, proprietor of Monika Super Market will be also remembered . He used to provide tickets to viewers known to him much before the ticket window were opened. "

I visited the place on 3rd October, 2026. Considered as the most elegant, disciplined and prestigious movie theatre in Jammu, I  found  it in a dilapidated state, in a condition of destitution, with no apparent caretaker. Vegetation has grown extensively in the structure, both in the front facade and at the top. Two trees are observed growing on the roof above the perforated sail-form screen, with additional saplings emerging from the concrete jali and the canopy. A parking space has been created directly in front of the cinema gates, now used for private vehicles. The structure remains standing but non-operational as of 2026. Whether it will be restored, or eventually demolished to make way for a multiplex or commercial complex, remains undetermined.

For the cinema-going generation of its time, however, its mere mention continues to evoke a substantial corpus of cultural memory.

( Avtar Mota )

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