Movies have returned to Indian-Administered Kashmir for the first time in almost 33 years .
Theaters were closed January 1 , 1990 , because of concerns over militant threats against theaters , beauty parlors , and liquor stores .
But a new multiplex cinema , INOX Srinagar , opened on September 30 .
India and Pakistan dispute who should rule Kashmir .
The territory is divided almost in half between the two countries , with military forces on each side .
However , the threat of violence remains high for the people who visit the multiplex .
Patrons must pass through tight security .
Armed police guard the area .
Patrons are frisked at the main gate before entering the theater .
An armored truck with at least a dozen policemen is stationed near the entry gate , and a security tower stands next to the ticket counter .
The Kashmir Valley had about 15 movie theaters until 1989 , when militants , opposed to Indian rule , demanded their closure .
INOX Srinagar is owned by Vikas Dhar's family .
The family has owned movie theaters in Srinagar since the 1960s .
Dhar told VOA that , for him , the opening of his multiplex is a dream come true .
More than 5,000 patrons visited the 524-seat complex in its first month of operation .
Dhar thinks more people will visit in the future .
He added that the theater might develop restaurants and a play area for children next year .
For the younger generation , going to the movie theater is a new experience .
For older people , it is a reminder of times past .
But many young people prefer to watch movies at home on large TV screens instead of risking their safety at a theater .
“Cinema is a public place and is different from what it used to be 10-15 years ago .”
She added , “I would only watch an animated movie in cinema , if I ever go there .”
Cinema is another word for theater .
But Dhar thinks that even younger Kashmiris will enjoy the experience of watching a film in a theater .
He said that movies such as Avatar and Avengers with their special effects can only be fully enjoyed on a big screen .
Manmohan Singh Gauri owned the Palladium Cinema in the Kashmir Valley before it closed .
Now he hopes to open his own theater if he is granted permission by the government .
He said the return of movies to the Kashmir Valley can give younger Kashmiris more information about what is happening around the world .