Srinagar, Sep 9: Renowned filmmaker Ramesh Sippy on Wednesday said he hoped filmmakers would return to Kashmir to shoot films as they did in the past, while recalling his long association with the Valley dating back to 1964.
Addressing reporters at INOX in Srinagar, Sippy said he had been visiting Kashmir frequently since 1964, but there was a period when filmmakers could not come because of prevailing problems.
“I have been coming here since 1964, very often. In between, there were problems, so we couldn’t come. But now it has reopened, everything is fine,” Sippy said.
The filmmaker expressed hope that tourists as well as filmmakers would return to the Valley and that Kashmir would again see film productions.
“I hope people will come, tourists will come, filmmakers will also come to shoot films just like they used to,” he said, adding that there was also encouragement from the government.
Asked whether he had plans to shoot a film in Kashmir, Sippy said he had come to observe the situation and expressed hope that a project could be undertaken soon.
“Right now we have come, observed everything and hope we will do it soon,” he said.
Sippy also welcomed the ongoing International Film Festival of Jammu and Kashmir, describing it as a beginning and expressing hope that it would lead to further developments for the region’s film industry.
“This is the beginning. A good beginning will augur well for all things to come,” he said.
The four-day IFFJK, being held under the theme “Rang-e-Cinema”, has brought filmmakers, artists and cinema professionals to Jammu and Kashmir, with more than 130 films being showcased and participation from several countries. [KNT]
