Dogri film Reet released on 21 Sept 2012

Giving a boost to emerging regional cinema in Jammu and Kashmir, latest Dogri feature film 'Reet' is all set to hit screen at Hari Talkies, here, on Sept 21, 2012.

Coming on the heels of already released and well received regional films like 'Maa Ni Mildi', 'Lakeer' and 'Kuggi Maar Doari', noteworthy aspect of the maiden venture of Navrudra Productions is that the film 'Reet' has been indigenously produced by using locally available acting and technical talent.

Speaking in a press conference at the Press Club, here today, Pankaj Khajuria, producer and director of film, who is also acting the lead role, said that 'Reet' is going to be a UFO release and other than Jammu it will also be shown through satellite in cinemas at Kathua and Udhampur.

He said that shot on digicam, with digital music, the film is a story of love betrayed by the custom of 'Dohri', an appalling social practice where a daughter is married in the family of daughter- in-law.

He further said for making regional films we need not to look towards Bollywood as enough acting and technical talent is locally available. He said the lead in this direction has already been taken by producer and directors like Amit Choudhary-'Maa Ni Mildi', Shiv Dutt-'Lakeer' and Neelam Phull-'Kuggi Maar Doari'. By producing 'Reet', our production house intends to start a healthy competition so that better and better films in Dogri are made and more and more viewers show interest in seeing films in mother tongue.

Pankaj Khajuria shared dais with Rajesh Khajuria, director of photography and cast of film including female lead Ridhima Singh, Janak Khajuria and Kusum Tickoo.

The music of the film is composed by Arvind, lyrics by B S Dardi and Rajneesh Gupta. Other members of film's cast include Madan Rangela, Raghunanthan Singh Bali, J R Sagar, Upendra, Shammi Malhotra, Neelam Singh, Santosh Sangra, Subhash Jamwal and others. The production of the film is designed by Akhil Gupta

Gul Gulshan Gulfam Film Completed

The budding regional cinema in J&K has got a shot in arm with completion of film ‘Gul Gulshan, Gulfam’, the shooting schedule of which completed in various parts of the State only a few days back.

The film produced by son of the soil, J L Bhan, under the banner of Jawahar Kiran Motion Pictures, is an cinematic initiative that would showcase for the first time Kashmiri and Dogra culture together on silver screen.

Written by Indu Razdan and directed by Sarfraz Alvi who assisted in direction of Bollywood film Chakradhar, the film ‘Gul Gulshan Gulfam’, is a story of two childhood friends Gul, a Kashmiri Pandit and Gulfam, a Kashmir Muslim, who got separated in early 1990’s due to turmoil in Valley.

Gulshan, the Dogra boy, now is the only college friend of Gul who understands his pain. The story takes a turn when Gulshan takes initiative to take Gul to the Valley and help him to meet his childhood friend Gulfam. But after lot of efforts both fail to locate Gulfam and decide to come back to Jammu. On the other hand Gulfam having apparently forgotten his friend Gul is troubled by unforgettable old memories.

The film, a sensitive take on topical issue of forced severance of tender human relations in wake of tragic turmoil, has in its cast all local actors who were chosen after an open audition at producer’s Jammu office at Sarwal in first week of July, 2012.

The cast of ‘Gul Gulshan Gulfam,’ doing various characters includes Vijay Koul son of veteran Kashmir stage actor Shadi Lal as ‘Gul’, Vikram Sharma, the star theatre artist

of Natrang as ‘Gulshan’, Arvin Tikko, again a theatre actor as ‘Gulfam’. The main female leads are Seema Rajput , a stage actor who has acted in J&K Academy’s production ‘Kunjoo Chanchalo’ and also worked in music albums, and Bela Thapa, an actor of Natrang.

Other supporting actors include Nazir Josh, TV artist known for role of a comedian king in Kashmiri serial ‘Ahed Raaj’, Arjun Manhas, Nirmala Koul, TV actor and singer, Vinod Bhushan, Jatinder, Rashid Shehnaz and others.

The music of the film is composed by Sumesh Vasudevan based in Mumbai and lyrics by P N Shad in Kashmiri and Rahul Arman in Dogri. The film after editing at Mumbai would be released shortly in different parts of the State.

Jammu Kashmir Film Industry

LIFE casts shadow on J&K film industry

Local film makers aghast over separate 'Ladakh section'

The Ladakh International Film Festival (LIFE) — highest movie festival in the world—which is expected to kicks off from June 15-17 in Ladakh has created controversies in Jammu and Kashmir regions of the state.

The film makers from Jammu and Kashmir allege the festival authorities of discrimination on basis of ‘ethnicity and regionalism’. The authorities have set four categories for film entry submission: Competition section, International (World Cinema) section, Indian section and Ladakh section.

According to the local film makers the festival is happening in J&K, Ladakh is part of the state and not a separate state. By keeping a separate section for the Ladakh, the authorities are undermining the film makers from Jammu and Kashmir regions of the state.

The festival authority makes mention of separate section for the Ladakh region. “Ladakh section aims at exploring new creative talent among Ladakhis and also to promote films made on Ladakh, by providing an opportunity to showcase their work in the process of exploring the magic of cinema in the magical land of Ladakh. Films in any format including their Mobile phones are accepted in this section. This section is open to only residents of Ladakh and films made on Ladakh. This section includes feature film, short film, animation films and documentary films,” the festival authorities mentions.

The film makers from Jammu and Kashmir regions of the state question the festival authority’s intention for keeping a separate section for Ladakh. “If there is separate section for Ladakhis, why other regions are left out?” local film Makers ask.

Well know and senior most film maker from Jammu, Shiv Dutt, said that the LIFE festival authority should amend the Ladakh section and include film makers from Jammu and Kashmir and not restrict it to Ladakhis only.

Actor and Director from Kashmir Qazi Faiz said, “The Bollywood is focusing much on the Ladakh region and ignoring Jammu and Kashmir regions of the state which should have not be the case.”

One of the renowned film makers in the valley, Ayash Arif said, “The film industry has flourished from Kashmir. There are talented film makers from the valley who have number of films on Ladakh by keeping a separate section and open to only residents of Ladakh they are discriminating. We strongly have resentment against it.” “This way they are discouraging the film makers from the valley,” he adds.

Another film maker from the valley, Shaftq Habib, said, “The festival authorities are segregating the film industry of the state.” Adding, the festival should not be region specific.

The television, producer/writer/actor/director Makhan Lal Saraf, whole state should be given entry in the Ladakh section. “Aim of the authority should be to promote Ladakh and it should kept open to all state subjects,” he added.

However, Festival Director, Melwyn, told Kashmir Times that they have chosen Ladakh for the festival as the region is an ecological fragile region and “we want globally highlight the attention on some of the issues that the region is facing.”  When asked about keeping separate section for Ladakh Melwyn said that the section is not restricted to the residents of Ladakh only this section is open to all. “We have received more than 50 entries from non- Ladakhis in the section,” he added.

Dogri film Kuggi Maar Duari

Midnight open air drama in Jammu

water shortage in jammu

Amir Khan bowled over by Kashmir beauty

Bollywood mega star Aamir Khan was bowled over by the beauty of Kashmir on his recent visit to the valley.

Aamir was in Srinagar after more than a decade and was so impressed with the breathtaking beauty of the valley that he hopes filmmakers return here "like the good old times".

Aamir Khan arrived in Kashmir on Wednesday and visited the famous floating vegetable gardens in Dal Lake.

“I have come to Kashmir after more than 10 years. Last time I came here to shoot 'Mann' (1999). The place is wonderful, the people are nice and hospitable,” Aamir told reporters during his visit to the Dal Lake.

“I hope Bollywood starts shooting films here like the good old times. My uncle (filmmaker Nasir Husain) used to shoot his films in Kashmir,” he added.

Some parts of his super duper hit 3 Idiots were filmed in Ladakh region of the state, but he couldn't come to the valley then.

“We went directly to Leh to shoot 3 Idiots and I did not get an opportunity to visit the valley that time,” said the 46-year-old.

Aamir said he is on a pleasure trip here, but his visit to the floating vegetable gardens, a private school and a riverside location in north Kashmir indicated that could be on a recce for his new film.Sources also said that Aamir had shot an ad film for Incredible India Wednesday.

other side of snowfall

Every time Kashmir experiences snowfall, it brings with it endless woes ranging from  long power cuts, snapped communication, water shortage, dearth of essential  commodities and much  more. But can there be a comparable of the beauty it bestows on Kashmir valley?

By its softness, shapelessness and indifferent attachment to whatever and where ever it settles, snow transforms the whole Kashmir into a kind of fairyland. It renders uniformity to everything around with its white blanket.

Snow brings strange quiet hush all around. The whole valley is clad in white cover of snow. The lofty mountains surrounding the valley turn white under snow coverlet. The partly frozen water bodies, with shikaras in tow on the banks complement the beauty. White roofed wooden house boats over frozen lakes looks fascinating. There can hardly be seen any movement in the water bodies which would otherwise remain busy with commuters, visitors and fishermen.

“The season of summer and winter give two different looks to Kashmir. Summer is colourful while winter makes Kashmir white land,” said Nida Khan, student.

The outskirts of the valley, including world famous tourist destination of Gulmarg gain stunning look. The snow clad peaks and meadows of Gulmarg provides best ski slopes, besides facilitating ice-skating and other sports.

The beauty of Kashmir during snow has not only attracted thousands of domestic and international tourists but has also provided background to scores of Bollywood films. Visit of Mughal gardens or a simple drive along Boulevard is a real treat during snow.

“Every time it snows, I make a visit to Mughal gardens in Srinagar because they look exotic clad in snow. I love capturing it all in my camera,” says Ehsaan Majeed, a college student.

Snow also adds excitement to the life, and we all become children for a while, away from everything that divides us. Playing with snow or watching silent flakes of snow falling is what most of us like.“Though snow brings many problems for us, I like to involve in snow fights and make snowman. It brings back the memories of childhood,” said Aashiq Hussain, an employee.

He says he spends time with his children playing with snow and making snowman every winter.

“Snow becomes a reason for me to spend time with my children and relive my childhood too,” adds Aashiq.

Kuggi Maar Duaari now at KC cineplex

The Dogri feature film 'Kuggi Maar Duaari', which due to very good public response started third-week run at Swaran Theatre, here today, has further got a shot in the arm with grant of exemption from Entertainment Tax by the State Government.

In order to provide a better cinematic experience to the audience, the film is also being shown in Audi one of KC cineplex from today in afternoon and evening shows. Thus 'Kugi Maar Duaari', has earned the distinction of becoming the first ever Dogri film to run simultaneously in two cinema halls of the winter capital.

Talking to Excelsior, Neealm Phull, producer/director of the film said that the positive response of the audience of Jammu and Udhampur where the film is also showing at City Light Cinema Hall has proved that there is a great scope for making more of such social theme based films in our mother tongue.

He said, the story of the film in which a young talented musician from a village who has gone to the city to earn name and fame although becomes successful but driven by his filial duty towards his widow mother forsakes the glitter of money and glamour and returns back to his roots, has struck the cord with the audience and has been highly appreciated by the masses.

While thanking the State Government for granting exemption to the film from Entertainment Tax, he said that with reduced ticket price, now more and more people could watch the film and enjoy a story, which is set in the backdrop of Dogra culture and ethos.