Kashmir World Film Festival returns to valley after long halt; Raza Murad, Jayati Bhatia, and other Bollywood stars to attend

Being held from November 1 to 7 at the Tagore Hall in Srinagar, the film festival's opening ceremony featured prominent Bollywood personalities, including Raza Murad, Shishir Sharma, and Jayati Bhatia.

Organised by Director and Actors' Creative Theatre (ACT) chairman Mushtaaque Ali Ahmad Khan, the film festival aims to revive film and cinema culture in the valley.

During the week-long period, several films from across the globe will be screened.

Since the first edition of the Kashmir World Film Festival, Mushtaaque Ali Ahmad Khan has been organising the festival, having received a tremendous response from art and theatre lovers.

This year as well, the festival is expected to attract a massive audience and play a vital role in entertaining them.

It is worth mentioning that Kashmir was one of the most-preferred destinations for Bollywood filmmakers. However, the growing tensions in the valley led to a significant decrease in film shooting.

With the situation now improving, the initiative will play a significant role in promoting film culture among the local community.

Director-organiser Mushtaaque Ali Ahmad Khan spoke to ANI and shed light on the purpose behind the festival. "It was in July 2017 when I organised the first edition of the Kashmir World Film Festival. It was very successful, and we moved forward with the additional editions. After a brief halt, we are now back with a bang, and it will be a grand affair. My intentions are to promote positivity in Kashmir and reinstate the valley's position as a hub for films, art, and culture."

Khan went on to share details about the special guests expected to attend the festival, including Rajat Kapoor, Madhur Bhandarkar, and Lalit Parimoo, among others.

Actress Jayati Bhatia also shared her thoughts about the festival and added, "It is a proud moment for me. The festival is taking place after a long time, and it shows that people want to come back to Kashmir. I would urge the Kashmiri youth to take part in the process of filmmaking and bring their own stories to the world."

Raza Murad, who was also among the chief guests on the first day of the festival, expressed gratitude for the renewed efforts toward bringing Kashmir closer to the art of filmmaking, especially after the tensions in the valley.

The first day of the film festival saw multiple cultural programs followed by film screenings at the Tagore Hall. (ANI)