Srinagar, Sep 08: Renowned filmmaker Imtiaz Ali on Tuesday said Kashmir has many untold stories, characters and cultural traditions that can provide rich material for filmmakers, while expressing hope that the region\u2019s growing connection with cinema would create more opportunities for local talent.<\/p>\n
Interacting with the media on the sidelines of the second day of the International Film Festival of Jammu & Kashmir (IFFJK) at SKICC Srinagar, Ali, according to the news agency\u2014Kashmir News Observer (KNO), said he always hopes to return to the region whenever he shoots a film. \u201cWe always hope that whenever we shoot, we come back to Kashmir. There is perhaps no other place in the world that is so cinematic,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
On Laila Majnu, he said the film was deeply rooted in Kashmir, with its characters and setting closely connected to the region. \u201cLaila Majnu is a film based in Kashmir. The characters are from Kashmir, and the whole setting and feel of the film are Kashmiri,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Ali said he was happy that the film continued to remain popular in Kashmir even years after its release. \u201cEight years later, it is still popular here. This is Kashmir. I am very happy and I thank Kashmir for Laila Majnu,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Asked about other stories from Kashmir that fascinate him, Ali said there were several historical and cultural personalities he would like to explore through cinema.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere are many characters in Kashmir that fascinate me. I am fascinated by Habba Khatoon and many other artists and Sufi saints of Kashmir. I think about them and, if I get an opportunity, I would definitely like to make something on them,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
He said many aspects of ordinary Kashmiri life and culture had not received enough attention through cinema. \u201cThere are many things that have not come up. Kashmir is normally famous for its landscape, but I find Kashmiri humour very interesting too,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Ali said the film festival could help people from outside Jammu and Kashmir experience the region beyond what they had seen or heard about it. \u201cI think the biggest benefit of a film festival is that people will come here from outside and see Kashmir with their own eyes. They will understand what they see here and perhaps make films based on that,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
He added that people were creative enough to understand the region in their own way once they experienced it directly.<\/p>\n
On Rockstar, parts of which were shot in Kashmir, Ali said the region left its own distinct imprint on cinema. \u201cSome shooting was done in Chandanwari, but Kashmir is Kashmir. It has its own signature,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Recalling his experiences of shooting in Kashmir, Ali said the support extended by locals had always made the experience memorable. \u201cMy shooting here has been wonderful and spectacular. People came out and helped us. Nobody complained. They went out of their way to help us,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
He recalled how local workers involved in film production gradually became part of the filmmaking process. \u201cWe used to hire painters, carpenters and others. They were hardworking people, and gradually things started opening up,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Ali said the people of Kashmir were highly creative and sensitive, qualities he believed could be a strength for the region\u2019s film industry. \u201cI feel Kashmiris are very sensitive and creative. They feel things deeply, and that is a very good quality. There is a certain grace in Kashmiris,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
On the potential of Kashmir\u2019s film industry, he said there was a need to provide greater opportunities and government support to local filmmakers and artists. \u201cWe have to make films. If this festival continues to work hard, this place can become a hub for cinema. It can become a heaven for filmmakers,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
He added that with the right environment, even internationally acclaimed filmmakers could be encouraged to visit Kashmir. \u201cEven Steven Spielberg could come if you give him a reason to come,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Ali expressed hope that more films would emerge from Kashmir featuring local actors, actresses and stories. \u201cInshaAllah, there will be films in which Kashmir is there, and Kashmiri actors and actresses are there. I am looking forward to that,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
He also stressed the importance of involving children in cinema and filmmaking from an early age. \u201cChildren should also get involved in it,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Ali said Jammu and Kashmir had not yet fully explored its cultural identity through cinema, despite its long association with filmmaking. \u201cWe have not got over the landscape of Jammu and Kashmir. It will take many more years. Gradually, what is happening is that Kashmiri culture and music are coming into the picture. I think this is another opportunity that is available,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
On working with Kashmiri talent, Ali said the region had several qualities that could contribute to filmmaking. \u201cI feel Kashmiri people are very sensitive and creative. They feel very deeply and remain quiet. That sensitivity and grace is a quality of Kashmiris. They are very creative and sensitive,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Ali said the emergence of local talent would depend on creating more opportunities and platforms for them.<\/p>\n
He said the ongoing IFFJK could provide an important platform for filmmakers, artists and audiences to engage with cinema and help build a stronger film culture in Jammu and Kashmir. (KNO)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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