Srinagar, Sep 08 (KNO): Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday attended the screening of the popular crime-drama 'Mirzapur' at INOX here as the International Film Festival of Jammu & Kashmir (IFFJK) entered its second day, with prominent actors, filmmakers and cinema enthusiasts participating in screenings and interactive sessions across the city.
According to the details available with the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) the Chief Minister interacted with 'Mirzapur' actors Pankaj Tripathi and Divyenndu Sharma. Bollywood singer Sunidhi Chauhan was also present on the occasion.
Notably, the screening was part of the festival’s programme at INOX , which on Tuesday also screened 'Laila Majnu' and other films from different competitive and non-competitive sections.
The presence of the ‘Mirzapur’ cast added to the festival’s second-day activities, which brought together popular faces from Indian cinema, filmmakers from Jammu and Kashmir and elsewhere and aspiring artists.
Tripathi and Divyenndu, known for their roles as Kaleen Bhaiya and Munna Tripathi respectively in ‘Mirzapur,’ also interacted with the media on the sidelines of the festival at SKICC here earlier in the day.
The actors spoke about Kashmir’s potential for regional cinema, the need to engage with local filmmakers and the opportunities available to young talent.
They praised their experience in Kashmir, saying they enjoyed Kashmiri food, met local people and felt a sense of belonging during their visit.
The actors said Jammu and Kashmir had significant potential for cinema, particularly with the growth of theatres, OTT platforms and other avenues for filmmakers.
Meanwhile, filmmaker Imtiaz Ali also spoke about Kashmir’s cinematic potential during his interaction with the media at SKICC, saying the region had many untold stories, characters and cultural traditions that could be explored through cinema.
Ali said Kashmir should be seen beyond its scenic landscapes, with its culture, music, humour, traditions and ordinary lives offering a rich pool of stories for filmmakers.
He also spoke about his experience of shooting in Kashmir, including for Rockstar and said the support extended by local people had made his shoots memorable. Ali said festivals such as IFFJK could help bring filmmakers and audiences closer to Kashmir and create greater opportunities for local actors, filmmakers and storytellers.
5 FILMS SELECTED FOR J&K SELECT SECTION
In another major development on the second day, five films helmed by directors from Jammu and Kashmir were selected for the J&K Select Section, the competitive category of the inaugural IFFJK.
The films were recommended by the Preview Committee constituted for the festival after reviewing submissions and assessing their artistic merit and suitability for the competitive section.
The selected films are Searching for the Grandpa, directed by Mohammad Wali; Arifa, directed by Rohin Ravendran Nair; Batt Koch (The Lost Lane), directed by Siddarth Koul and Ankit Wali; Tasrufdaar (Djinns of Kashmir), directed by Kapil Mattoo; and Naqsh-e-Daur (The Story of Ghulam Nabi Dhar), directed by Baba Tassaduq Hussain.
Spanning Kashmiri and Hindi languages, the films explore themes ranging from childhood, family and memory to displacement, identity, heritage, resilience and the changing social landscape of Kashmir.
Searching for the Grandpa follows two young siblings in a Kashmiri village on Eid, while Arifa centres on a woman returning to her ancestral home in Kashmir and confronting memories of her childhood and father.
Batt Koch explores displacement, identity and the enduring idea of home through the story of a Kashmiri migrant family. Tasrufdaar (Djinns of Kashmir) weaves together mystery, memory and the scars of Kashmir’s past, while Naqsh-e-Daur portrays the life and legacy of a Padma Shri-honoured woodcarver in downtown Srinagar, highlighting Kashmir’s craftsmanship, heritage and resilience.
The selected films will form part of the competitive programming of the four-day festival, providing audiences and filmmakers an opportunity to engage with distinctive cinematic voices and stories from Jammu and Kashmir.
SECOND DAY WITNESSES SERIES OF SCREENINGS
The second day also saw a series of screenings and professional sessions at SKICC Srinagar, with films being showcased under categories including J&K Select, Short Films and Documentary/Hybrid.
At SKICC, filmmakers, actors and cinema professionals participated in masterclasses and conversations focusing on different aspects of filmmaking, including direction and screenplay writing, cinematography, editing, theatre and acting and sound.
The day’s sessions included a masterclass on direction and screenplay writing by filmmaker Sriram Raghavan, an in-conversation session on cinematography with cinematographer and filmmaker Anil Mehta, and a masterclass on editing by director and editor Rabi Ranjan Maitra.
Another masterclass focused on theatre and acting, while a separate session explored sound design and the creation of immersive acoustic environments for cinema, with Chittaranjan Tripathy and Baylon Fonseca respectively leading the sessions.
The festival also featured discussions on animation and artificial intelligence and their potential to combine traditional Jammu and Kashmiri art forms with contemporary visual storytelling.
Another panel, titled Unlocking Jammu and Kashmir: The Next Big Cinematic Hub, focused on developing a sustainable film ecosystem through the J&K Film Policy, incentives, single-window clearances and local partnerships.
FLOATING CINEMA REVISITS KASHMIR’S FILM LEGACY
The festival’s Floating Cinema initiative is also showcasing classic films associated with Kashmir. Arzoo (1965) is scheduled for screening on September 8, while Junglee (1961), Kashmir Ki Kali (1964) and Kabhi Kabhie (1976) are also part of the Floating Cinema programme.
Notably, the inaugural IFFJK, organised by the Department of Information and Public Relations, Jammu & Kashmir, is being held from September 7 to 10 across Srinagar, Jammu and Gulmarg, bringing filmmakers, audiences and industry voices together through screenings, conversations and cultural exchange—(KNO)