Jammu and Kashmir Cultural Front or Congress emerged soon after the political upheaval of 1953 in Kashmir. The Front, later renamed the Congress, enjoyed full support from the socialist forces within the ruling National Conference. This worked in every possible way to strengthen the basis of the new political power among the masses so that the epoch-making programmes of `Land to the Tiller` and free education for all, yielded the desired results. Since the law was already implemented after 1947.
The Congress, among other things, augmented large-scale theatrical activity. They did it so that a new enthusiasm to participate in various welfare programmes was generated among the people wearied by political unrest. Equipped with a portable picture-frame stage to create the visual illusion of scenic locale, torchlight, recorded music, and songs, Taraqi Pasand Theatre gained popularity in the capital, Srinagar. It received further impetus when the well-known film actor Balraj Sahni made the Indian People`s Theatre Association extends its activities to the Valley. In 1956, the annual festival `Jashni Kashmir`, commemorating the establishment of the new rule, accelerated dramatic activity throughout the state, and in almost every school and college arose a drama club. State-level competitions and institution of prizes on the occasion of the festival played a significant role in popularizing Kashmiri theatre as well.
Some famous plays of the movement were the early works of Amin Kamil and Pushkar Bhan, Nasibi i.e. `Destiny` by Akhtar Mohi-ud-Din, Chor bazar i.e. `Thieves` Bazaar` and Son samsar i.e. `Our World` by Noor Mohammad Roshan, etc. Some others can be mentioned as Soda i.e. `Merchandise` by Aziz Haroon, Zun by Jagan Nath Wali, and Ali Mohammad Lone`s Viz chhe seny i.e. `This Is Our Time`. The most popular production, however, was Dina Nath Nadim`s opera Bombur ti Yimbirzal i.e. `Bombur and Yimbirzal`, which depicted in a symbolic way the incidents of 1953.
