Srinagar, August 6 : On the fifth day of the ongoing Chinar Book Festival at SKICC, Srinagar, cinema took centre stage with a powerful and thought-provoking panel discussion titled “The Magic of Movies: Crafting Stories and Characters.” The session drew an enthusiastic crowd of students, artists, and cinephiles who gathered to explore the art and soul of storytelling through film.
The discussion was moderated by Manoj Sheeri, who guided the deliberations with warmth and clarity. The distinguished panel comprised acclaimed filmmaker and editor-in-chief of Kashmir Pen Mushtaq Bala, along with respected Film Makers Gul Riyaz, Ayash Arif, and Kapil Mattoo.
Opening the session, Mushtaq Bala reflected on his personal journey into storytelling, recalling how a childhood curiosity near his home in Sharekhas, Srinagar, sparked a lifetime pursuit of cinematic truth.
“As a child, I believed the Budshah Tomb held the remains of King Zain-ul-Abidin. It was only later I discovered that it was his mother who rests there. That moment—of misconception giving way to truth—inspired me to tell stories that reveal, correct, and connect. I eventually made a biographical film that cleared this common myth. Its real success was that others, too, discovered the truth with me.”
Other panelists shared their own journeys and spoke candidly about the challenges and joys of writing, directing, and producing films rooted in Kashmir’s unique socio-cultural context.
🔑 Key Highlights from the Discussion:
- What Makes a Story “Magical” in Cinema?
- Emotional authenticity over spectacle.
- Cultural and political context adds richness to narratives.
- Balancing the universal with the local remains key.
- Crafting Characters That Live Beyond the Screen
- Avoid black-and-white portrayals; explore internal conflicts.
- Incorporate Kashmiri spiritual and Sufi influences.
- Let silence, setting, and subtext do the storytelling.
- Power of Regional Narratives
- Reclaiming Kashmiri stories from external interpretations.
- Integrating folklore, oral traditions, and poetry into scripts.
- Using landscape, music, and language as living characters.
- Industry Challenges and Emerging Opportunities
- Navigating the fine line between censorship and creative responsibility.
- Leveraging digital tools without losing narrative depth.
- Creating platforms for emerging voices from the region.
- Personal Insights by Mushtaq Bala
- Reflections from his extensive work in tele-serials, documentaries, and festival films.
- Emphasizing character arcs embedded in Kashmir’s lived realities.
- Advocating for community-centric cinema as a tool of cultural preservation and social engagement.
The session also featured an interactive exchange with the audience. In a compelling moment, Bala posed a question that lingered in the air:
“When was the last time a character haunted you after the credits rolled?”
The discussion concluded on a reflective note, with Bala offering a closing thought:
“The magic of movies isn’t in the script or the camera—it’s in the viewer’s heart, when a story becomes their own. That’s the power we must protect.”
At the end of the session, the organisers of the Chinar Book Festival honoured the panellists with bouquets and a curated set of books, thanking them for their valuable insights and contributions to the evolving discourse around cinema in Kashmir.( Kashmir Pen )
