With the launch of the first multiplex in the locality, and runs at 11,500 feet, sub-zero Ladakh has feels a new, comforting warmth.
On December 20, PVR INOX opened the multi-screen cinema in Leh town. On the west side of the Tibetan Plateau, popularly known as the Roof of the World due to its height, sits the frigid desert of Leh.
Owner Tsewang Nurboo told The Telegraph, “It’s not only the highest-rise cinema in the country, but the first multiplex in Ladakh.”
In reality, it’s the first fixed cinema in the locality. In the eralier times, Leh had to settled with a mobile digital movie cinema that was arrived in 2021.
About the public’s reaction to the two-screen cinema, which is now screening the Bollywood film Dhurandhar, Nurboo remarked, “We received a very warm welcome; everyone are very excited.”
The lunch and evening performances on Sunday were nearly packed. The foot traffic is great on the other days as well,” he said.
The human density of Ladakh, which covers 59,146 sq km, is lower than five people per sq km. Villages might be rather far apart. According to local officials, this was an important factor in the area’s lengthy wait for its first movie cinema.
According to the 2011 census, the overall population of the districts of Leh and Kargil in Ladakh is just 2.74 lakh. During the winter, the area suffers extreme cold, with nighttime lows of minus 20 degrees Celsius.
Still, military members and their families are well-represented. In addition, a lot of people visit the area, according to an official. A large number of military members and their families were attending the performances, according to Nurboo.
“In wintertime, there’s few outdoor activities in Leh. Nowadays, people have an excuse for leaving their houses in order to see movies and eat with their family. We also have a wonderful food court,” he said.
However, reports claimed that the flim has upset those who worried that “outside influences” may further “dilute the local culture.” The area has been trying for years to get extra benefits under the Constitution’s Sixth Schedule.
The all-star film Dhurandhar, including Ranveer Singh and Akshaye Khanna, was declared tax-free last week by Kavinder Gupta, the assistant governor of Ladakh. He highlighted how much of the flim was shot in the area.
“The film highlights Ladakh’s cinematic landscapes, showing strong support for filmmakers and reinforcing the Union Territory’s (UT) push to emerge as a preferred destination for tourism and film shoots,” he stated.
A short distance from Leh town, the multiplex is found at Solar Colony, Saboo, near the Leh-Manali Bypass Road. It has Dolby 7.1 surround sound, next-generation 3D technology, and 2K projection for clear images.
Nurboo said, “This is the newest German technology.”
The need for sound design has created a problem in an area where the thin air could impact acoustics. In close collaboration with Pulz Electronics, PVR INOX Limited developed a customized audio system using German components that were well manufactured.
