Vaadi-e-Kashmir, a recently released short film on YouTube, aims to pay tribute to the past and present of Kashmir. The film is directed by Pradeep Sarkar, the acclaimed director of the 2005 film Parineeta among others. Narrating his experience of shooting the film, Sarkar says, “Falling in love at the age of 62 is possible. It happened to me when I went to, and met, Kashmir! Though it was my first trip to that place, it seemed like I already knew the place. The warm and friendly people just make you feel at home instantly. In this film I tried to capture her beauty but I want to go back to capture her beauty once again to know the place better. Believe me: we all need to know Kashmir a little better!”
The six minute movie begins with a powerful message by Amitabh Bachchan, where he talks about the lost glory of Kashmir and encourages viewers to witness the place firsthand. The entire video features a song depicting the harmonious relations people in India have with this beautiful landscape. There are showcased majestic mountains, green fields, and crafts of the region among other thing in the movie. The film also portrays the residents enjoying the gorgeous scenery of the state, and portrays people from across India places visiting the place. The film captures the breathtaking charm of Kashmir, deeming it a “Heaven on Earth”.
Vaadi-e-Kashmir was produced as part of a corporate social responsibility initiative undertaken by KENT RO Systems Limited. Speaking on the vision of the film, Mahesh Gupta, Chairman and Managing Director, KENT RO said, “The film celebrates the beauty of Kashmir and its people, and celebrates the love and togetherness that we share as a nation. The vision of this short film is: ‘make our brothers and sisters in Kashmir feel that the rest of the country stands with them’. Overall it is a simple film which carries a message of oneness, with purity of heart and intent. India is a one big diverse family and Kashmir is an integral part of our lives. And we need to celebrate it.”
Hema Malini, actress and brand ambassador of KENT RO, has been working closely with the project to ensure the message of peace and harmony is beautifully conveyed. About the film, she said in a statement, “As an Indian, this film is my attempt to reach out to Kashmir and touch the hearts of our brothers and sisters in the valley.”
The lyrics of the song that features in the film is by the renowned poet Gulzaar. The music of the film is composed by the trio Shankar, Ehsan and Loy. The film was shot over a span of two weeks. Sharing the film on his twitter page, Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted, “Vaadi-e-Kashmir…a beautiful message of love and affection. I appreciate MP Hema Malini ji for the effort.”
Praveen Kenneth, Chairman, Law & Kenneth Saatchi & Saatchi, who has conceptualised the film says, “The task at hand, keeping in mind the current situation of Kashmir, was challenging. We met a myriad of people, both in Kashmir and outside, to find a starting point. We had to keep it simple. I believe, anything can be answered and any solution is possible, if there is a genuine connection between people. It’s the first step, to establish any possibilities. And we as a nation when called upon reach out very easily across the spectrum of caste and creed. That’s the beauty of this nation. And this attempt is our small contribution to create the platform to connect people.”
This initiative has garnered much acclaim on social media, with more than four million views on YouTube within a month of its release.