Difficult to separate J&K from cinema: LG Manoj Sinha

SRINAGAR: It is impossible to separate cinema from Jammu and Kashmir as they have an “organic relationship” that has evolved over the years, said Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha at a film conclave here.

He said the administration is making efforts to provide better facilities than European countries to the filmmakers to make the Union Territory a global film destination.

“You cannot separate J&K from cinema. Whenever there is a discussion on cinema in our country, J&K is a part of that discussion. This is an organic relationship which has grown year after year,” Sinha said, addressing a film conclave.

The LG said cinema and Jammu and Kashmir, like other relationships, have witnessed their share of ups and downs and bore the brunt of terror for many decades.

“Those connected with this art form, will understand that J&K was not just a shooting destination, but a cultural organism for famous filmmakers like Raj Kapoor and Yash Chopra. So, attempts have been made in the last five years to revive that relationship. Many initiatives were taken for that,” he added.

Referring to the beautiful landscapes in the Union Territory, Sinha said the reality is that the natural beauty of J&K is many times better than several European destinations.

“So, the administration is making efforts to provide better facilities than the European countries to the film-makers so that in future, J&K gets its due place in the global film destinations,” he said.

The administration launched a revamped Film Policy on the occasion, which takes care of the gaps that were in the existing policy which was launched in 2021.

“In August 2021, after thorough research and consultations, the film policy was framed. Over the last three years, the policy has played an important role in the shooting of hundreds of films and web series, but there were some gaps and roadblocks in that, and those have been taken care of in this new policy.

“The single window system will provide shooting permissions and other facilities in a hassle-free manner and the whole administrative mechanism will be filmmaker-friendly, transparent, accountable and efficient,” he said.

The subsidy grant process for the filmmakers has been made simple and attractive, the LG said, adding that the administration has taken initiatives to restore the atmosphere in J&K which was prevalent 40-50 years back.

“This film conclave is an effort towards that. Its motive was to assemble filmmakers, industry professionals and cinema lovers under one roof and celebrate the ‘utsav’ of cinema and lay the foundation of a permanent film ecosystem in J&K,” he said.

Filmmaker Madhur Bhandarkar, who also attended the conclave said the tourism department should encourage filmmakers to “explore more locations, which we have not seen yet.

The “Fashion” director said the policy and the conclave by Sinha would send a message to the film industry to come back and explore the Union Territory.

“The film policy brought by the LG is very good. It will send a positive message to the film industry. I always say that the film industry is not limited to Mumbai now, the south industry has become very important, they have contributed a lot. Films not only in the country, but across the world, connect people not just through songs or music or costumes, but everything else,” he said.

The filmmaker said he has been visiting Jammu and Kashmir for the last two decades and has many friends there.

“I have many friends here, I love the food and the locations. I feel happy whenever I come here,” he said, adding cinema as a medium brings everyone together.