Filmmaker Brings Cinema to Remote Uttarakhand

Filmmaker Vinod Kapri has brought his film 'Pyre' to three Uttarakhand towns—Srinagar, Bageshwar, and Berinag—which currently lack permanent cinema halls. Kapri, who self-funded the project, collaborated with PictureTime Mobile Digital Movie Theatre to erect inflatable theatres equipped with surround sound. These mobile cinemas offered the big-screen experience to local residents from October 14 to 17.

The film, shot in Berinag's Purana Thal village, centers on an octogenarian couple facing loneliness as their children migrate to urban areas. 'Pyre' captures the quiet struggles and enduring affection between the elderly protagonists, played by non-actors Padam Singh and Hira Devi. Kapri aimed to portray a couple finding ways to cherish their final years together, even amidst isolation.

Kapri described the challenging shooting conditions, which involved daily 14-hour shifts and trekking through remote terrain. The film eschews traditional villains, instead focusing on themes of slow development and the universal truth of mortality, with Kapri hoping the movie inspires young filmmakers from the region to share their own stories.