Cinemas have reopened in Kashmir after 2 decades — but few moviegoers are showing up

The lobby of the new multiplex movie theater before afternoon screenings in Srinagar, on Oct. 1. (Showkat Nanda for NPR)

SRINAGAR, India — Huge movie posters showing muscle-bound Indian action stars adorn the newly built Myoun INOX Cinema multiplex in southern Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir's largest city.

Inside the four-story building, young Kashmiris grab buckets of popcorn before taking their seats to watch Vikram Vedha, a new Hindi-language cop-vs.-gangster action film.