PESHAWAR:Peshawar’s iconic Picture House cinema has been demolished, marking another blow to the city’s fading film culture. The historic theater near Qissa Khwani Bazaar operated for 83 years since its founding in 1931 by Sikh entrepreneur Daswat Singh.
Picture House screened three daily shows until its closure, featuring legendary films like 1940’s Pukar and 1941’s Sikandar. It became a cultural hub for Pashto, Urdu, and Punjabi cinema, drawing crowds from across the region until 2024.
The cinema anchored “Cinema Road” alongside now-shuttered venues Novelty and Tikkur Mahal. Its vibrant presence sustained Qissa Khwani Bazaar’s night economy, with audiences flocking to food stalls after late shows.
Locals lament the demolition as symbolic of Peshawar’s disappearing heritage, attributing the loss to governmental neglect in preserving cultural landmarks.
