'Surpassed our Expectations' Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer breaks records in Kashmir

As "The father of the atomic bomb" shook the world with his intimidating prowess so has Christopher Nolan's cinematic narrative on his life, aptly titled Oppenheimer, set seismic shifts running through Kashmir's entertainment scape. The Hollywood titan's most recent blockbuster is hot on the heels of Shah Rukh Khan's Pathaan, scripting a never-before-seen narrative in the valley's cinematic history.

The adrenaline-charged, Cillian Murphy-led epic biopic, has charmed the audience, leading to a ticket scramble unprecedented in recent memory. As reported by NDTV, Vikas Dhar, the proprietor of INOX, Srinagar's singular multiplex, reports being pleasantly flabbergasted by the exceptional public response. "Tickers are sold out for another few days. It has surpassed our expectations," confessed Dhar. A sentiment surely shared by Nolan and crew back in Hollywood.

Oppenheimer follows the colourful and gripping life of American physicist Robert Oppenheimer, a principal architect of the devastating atomic bomb. The silver screen portrayal of this tale is the first Hollywood film to achieve "Full House" status in the once-kino-phobic valley since cinemas reopened in September last year, effectively ending a 33-year film hiatus.

This return of cinema to the heart of India's northernmost region was spurred, reveals Mr. Dhar, by Shah Rukh Khan's smash hit Pathaan which ignited new zeal for the cinematic experience. Now, Oppenheimer has stepped up, donning the mantle of being a crowd-puller.

Kashmir, an old hand at appreciating great cinematic feats (the local "Kashmir Talkie" predates Mumbai's famous Bombay Talkie by two years), is now welcoming the return of international film with arms wide open.

INOX reports record sales as Oppenheimer captivates the audience, defying the odds and overcoming decades of religious extremism and terrorism that once shut cinemas’ doors. The screen is lit once more, ensuring the popcorn crunches louder than it has in years, and the magic of Hollywood echoes disparately in the Himalayas.

For film producers, this suggests a new and growing market in Kashmir, a sign of a flourishing cinema industry in India at large. The Hollywood's rebound in Srinagar signals a brighter future for global films in India, marking a fruitful chapter in the intersection of international cinema and India.

(Several parts of the text in this article, including the title, were generated with the help of an AI tool.)