Light Camera & Kashmir...a true story
Everyone has a story, those who have gone beyond the tourist places like Kashmir valley…
We have come here to make a film presentation with the help of a local artists & locations like Downtown, Srinagar.
We have a plan to take gun & other arms for the video shooting from the police or CRPF. But, we are unable to get, even after trying through high-level authorities. Somehow, We manage to get one toy gun with the help of local team member.
We have shortlisted the local artists & locations for the shoot.
Today, we are starting our shooting at a taxi stand. The Locals are very cooperative. We have finished our shooting in time without any difficulty. Now, its time to go Downtown to shoot further.
Downtown, even though parts of it have been declared a UNESCO heritage site, but tourists don’t go to Downtown. Why? Downtown where some separatist leaders & their mass supporters are staying there. Stone-throwing & firing between police & locals can erupt any time & often most of the time. It is advisable by the different sources to the tourists to stay away from Downtown.
To some extent, we are also uncomfortable with this area because we have heard more about this area through our local team. But, Downtown location is our need for the shooting.
Now, we are at Downtown, We prepare ourselves & started our shooting. Most of the people of Srinagar stay in the Downtown. Everyone is busy in his work. As we are entering in...more inside, of the Downtown, we are disconnecting with the main road & security forces. Which is giving us a feeling of fear. If anything happens, we will not get any immediate support. The roads are narrow but clean. The locals are looking very supportive.
It’s time to do shooting in an old house. The building is looking old but very attractive. The rooms are small & congested, the staircases are rough & dark. We manage to start our shooting. Suddenly, a local enters in the room & tells something to our local artist. The local artist informs us to leave the place as soon as possible because some supporters of a separatist leader are planning to disturb our shooting. I cannot express our feeling. We pack up our shooting & move out from the Downtown residential areas with the help of the local team.
Now, we are on the main road. We have to shoot in the intercity bus stand. The people are surprised to see us. We are able to shoot properly here. Today’s shoot is over with our fear, tension & support of the locals.
Tomorrow, We will shoot in a college & in some VIP areas.
This is a local college. Today is a holiday. But, we also know that any time students or locals can come down here & then we might get stuck in the trouble.
As of now, we don’t see any trouble in the shooting. This college look one of the Kashmiri architecture types of building.
Before the people could understand, we finished our shooting in this VIP area.
There is dull lake, atmosphere & sinkara are looking beautiful. This is the governor house area & his securities. The security forces are not cooperating us. After talking with us, they get assured with us.
Now they are supporting us. We are shooting in a local market without any disturbances. Suddenly, I realize, that I have left my camera cap somewhere. But, I get the cap. Thank god, to the Sinkarawala who found the cap and returns it to me safely.
Our whole shooting is done well except for the Downtown incident.
In my Srinagar stay, I come to know that most locals have feared with the militant & they cannot oppose the militant openly.
The local business, growth, job & everything are coming back on the track, as tourists are back in the valley & other provision for the locals from the govt.
But, the ghost of the history visits sometimes in the valley then the situation becomes tense, the stone & firing back, curfews impose & everything stops.
The local artists are very talented. Though they have limited resources in Kashmir, they are committed & hard working. They are looking for a bigger opportunity for the name & fame.
(Year 2014).