Jonaki cinema hall here will get a “heritage” tag in October, Assam State Film Finance Development Corporation chairman, actor and director Jatin Bora said here on Thursday.

Dispur had recently resolved to renovate the state’s cinema halls, old and new, after which chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal asked the ASFFDC chairman to visit the theatres.

Bora, after visiting the historic Jonaki cinema hall, also met Sonitpur deputy commissioner Narsing Pawar on Thursday.

Pawar said a discussion was held with Bora at his office here on renovating Jonaki cinema and the chief minister is expected to open it on October 3.

The state government has decided to sanction Rs 25 lakh each for renovation of old cinemas and Rs 50 lakh each for the new ones.

Jonaki was the first cinema hall to be set up in Assam.

It was established by Assam’s first filmmaker, Rupkonwar Jyoti Prasad Agarwala, in 1937.

When Rupkonwar made his first Assamese film, Joymoti, in 1935, the state did not have a regular cinema hall and he screened his film in a makeshift auditorium. He developed this auditorium, Jonaki, into a regular cinema hall, in 1937.

Bora said all cinemas in Assam would be renovated, starting with Jonaki.

Bora, while talking about his upcoming film Ratnakar, said they would start the promotional campaign soon. He urged the people to enjoy Ratnakar and singer and director Zubeen Garg’s film Kanchanjangha, both of which, he said, “are mine”, in cinema halls.