J&K Film Policy unveiled by Lt Governor Manoj Sinha at a glittering function in Srinagar with top bollywood superstar Amir Khan in attendance last week has to be looked beyond shooting of movies in Jammu & Kashmir particularly Kashmir valley given the fact that the dream of establishing film industry for regional languages of Jammu & Kashmir is yet to come true. Though regional languages Kashmir, Dogri, Gojri, and Pahari are taught in schools , colleges and even universities in Jammu & Kashmir but successive governments of the erstwhile Jammu & Kashmir never ever thought about establishing local film industry for local languages in Jammu & Kashmir. In the absence of film industry for local languages the Kashmiri theatre could not grow the way it should have grown for decades together . Undeniable fact is that devotional theatre was liked by most of the Kashmiris some decades ago not for only funs but also because of it’s greater focus on conveying the message of truth and revealing the pleasure of leading a pious life. Kashmiri theatre was an institution that uses to patronise people performing arts, poetry and music and history reveals the fact that boys and girls used to get even training from the local trainers. So the reasons of the popularity of Kashmiri theatre need not to be explained. A noted Kashmiri poet Farooq Fayaz gives the credit for such inherent culture of music, and drama to the scenic beauty and soothing climate of Kashmir valley. He has even said that Kashmir’s distinct geo-cultural climate has endowed it with matchless artistic merit and skill.
The modes of promotion through theatre under the new film policy would be diverse in Jammu & Kashmir as it the land of different languages. The content of events could be so interesting that fans of Kashmiri threatre eagerly would keep waiting for the events that may be planned by the performers of the Kashmir theatre from time to time. Drama and theatre have to be intermingled as they were decades ago and focus has to be on the training of youth interested in promotion of Kashmiri theatre.
Lofty mountains, lakes, and waterfalls making Kashmir an unmatched world class tourist destination and it’s unique religious plurality give it’s people a great opportunity to nurture the talent of youth in the field of Kashmiri theatre. Like the people of several other parts of the country the people of Jammu and Kashmir too can step forward in the world of theatre to promote their own culture and regional languages. The modes of promotion through theatre under the new film policy would be diverse in Jammu & Kashmir as it the land of different languages. The content of events could be so interesting that fans of Kashmiri threatre eagerly would keep waiting for the events that may be planned by the performers of the Kashmir theatre from time to time. Drama and theatre have to be intermingled as they were decades ago and focus has to be on the training of youth interested in promotion of Kashmiri theatre.
