Jammu administration ropes in Imtiaz Ali to promote local art, culture

The 'Jab We Met' director who has earlier experience of shooting in Jammu and Kashmir has shown keen interest in making films casting local artists using local themes, music, art and locales.

Jammu: To promote local art and culture, and provide a platform for local artists and youth to share their stories, renowned film director Imtiaz Ali was invited by the administration here on Tuesday.

The ‘Jab We Met’ director who has earlier experience of shooting in Jammu and Kashmir has shown keen interest in making films casting local artists using local themes, music, art and locales.

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In an interaction with media, Ali claimed that he is in awe of the culture, art and talent found among J&K artists. He remarked that the richness of culture is so deep here that it would take many initiatives to showcase it fully. Secretary Culture and Tourism, Sarmad Hafeez, Director Archaeology and Museums, Munir-ul-Islam also marked their presence on the occasion.

Ali also expressed that he is back to carry out the work that is exclusively native using native talent, artists, music and musical instruments. He proposed that the vast pool of talent found in the region is diverse and encompassing every sphere of cinematic requirement so it would take us nothing to search here from beginning to climax of the film.

The ‘Highway’ director further said that he is fully convinced that the old, traditional folklore offers so many stories that could be translated into best cinematic presentations. The Bollywood director said that the efforts made earlier have not been enough so bringing more themes to fore would be our main focus.

The director articulated that youth, so full of energy, have to help themselves by coming forth for making their ability known to the world.

He said “The youth’s power should get reflected in helping the society. Art and culture bring positivity and positivity motivate for making real progression.”

Talking about the initiative the government has taken, Secretary Culture and Tourism said, “This initiative is one among many to bring J&K back on the top of creativity in the entertainment industry, theatre, culture, art, crafts and literature which it once enjoyed in the past.”

Sarmad urged the youth to explore their talent by exploiting the platform offered to them. He said that the film industry has so much to offer to our youth and we in turn also have a vast pool of capable artists, art and natural beauty to explore from. He said that both would get benefitted from one another as the association would be mutually symbiotic.

Secretary further said that it would be the greatest confidence booster for our youth who can get carried away towards other socially evil forces in absence of such an environment here. He said that art can bring the best out of them and the platform we propose to give them would be a national one.