*Kashmiri filmmakers’ films to be screened throughout India: ICCR Chairman
Excelsior Correspondent
PUNE, June 12: Former Union Minister Prakash Javadekar along with president of J&K Apni Party Syed Mohd Altaf Bukhari and other dignitaries inaugurated J&K International Film Festival, here on Saturday.
The Film Festival, being organized by Sarhad, in association with National Film Archives of India (NFAI), is dedicated to the memories of India’s first superstar late K L Saigal and Santoor maestro late Pt Shiv Kumar Sharma. The 5-day festival will last till June 15. Films made by Kashmir’s talented producers and directors will be screened in the Festival.
Speaking on the occasion, Prakash Javadekar said the people of Kashmir are hardworking and talented and the beauty of Kashmir is because of them while Altaf Bukhari said, “When people from mainland India were avoiding J&K, Sarhad stood behind us and helped us. Sarhad has set an example in social service and Kashmiris are proud of it. Sarhad supported brilliant children from J&K and brought them to Pune to nurture and educate them. Many Kashmiri students have been raised and their minds were moulded by Sarhad founder-president Sanjay Nahar”.
ICCR president Vinay Sahasrabuddhe applauded the efforts of young filmmakers from Jammu and Kashmir and the organizers of the first-ever J&K’s International Film Festival. He assured that nationwide screening of select films produced by talented Kashmiri directors will be screened across the country. He also praised the strong bond of love between the Kashmiri people and Puneites.
Sanjay Nahar said there is a special relationship between J&K and Maharashtra. “Music and art have no boundaries. This is the moment when people can get engrossed in the talent of Kashmiri people and see Kashmir through the Kashmiris’ eyes,” he added.
Mushtaq Chaya said, “We have come to Pune even in such hot and humid weather out of our love for Sarhad. We are proud of Pune and Maharashtra for bonding with Kashmir.”
Kashmir’s renowned author and filmmaker, Gul Gulshan Gulfam TV serial fame Pran Kishore Kaul and Mushtaq Chaya, member, PHDCCI (J&K), were honored with the Lifetime Achievement award on the occasion.
JAKIFF Director Mushtaaque Ali Ahmad Khan, Abhijeet Patil (Raja Rani Travels), filmmaker Tariq Javeed, Mushtaq A Bala, Abdul Rasheed Bhat, Dr Shailesh Pagaria, filmmaker Nilesh Navalakha, Yuvraj Shaha and Shailesh Wadekar were also present on the occasion.
Kashmiri singer and Sarhad Music’s lead singer Shamima Akhtar sang Sant Eknath’s Marathi abhang ‘Maze Maher Pandhari’ and some Lavani songs, which regaled the audience.
The Festival is all set to create waves in Pune, the city that gave India its first movie. The founder of Indian cinema Dadasaheb Phalke belonged to Maharashtra and as such, the first ever J&K film festival outside Kashmir to be organized in Pune, Maharashtra is very auspicious.
Around 75 entries have been received for the Festival from India, the US, the UK, Dubai and Canada. The theme of the Festival is, of course Kashmir, and short films, documentaries, music videos as well as full length feature films on the subject will be screened in this festival. In the competitive sections, a jury will select entries based on their content and quality. The winners will be announced in the concluding ceremony on June 15.
Follow our WhatsApp channel
