The holiday season is upon us, and we spotted actor Aahana Kumra on the bustling streets of Bandra, Mumbai, during the Christmas week. Kumra, dressed in a white outfit, looked like a child in a candy store, exhilarated by the decor. “I haven’t done this in years,” Kumra says, revealing that her enthusiasm for the festival stems from her Christian nanny. “She was like my mother. She used to take me to church every Sunday. Also, when I moved to Mumbai, I was surrounded by the Catholic community. So, I’ve always been excited about Christmas,” explains the Call My Agent: Bollywood actor.

As she skimmed through the dense Christmas trees, Kumra confessed that she is “very big on decorating” her house. “Everyone in my house is aware that the Christmas tree is put up several weeks before the holiday. My decorations are on point, and I’m obsessed with them,” she grins and adds that even though she hasn’t gone street shopping in a while, she isn’t new to it: “I have always loved street shopping, and I knew exactly how much a T-shirt would cost in which shop. My mother’s office was in Colaba. So, after college, my friends and I would go to Colaba to shop. For Christmas, we all knew we had to go to Bandra.”

Conservation comes to a halt when the actor, like the rest of us, is exasperated when a shopkeeper tells her the exorbitant price of a Christmas tree. “Okay, I’m bad at bargaining [now],” she laughs.

Kumra goes on to reveal that she will spend Christmas in Kashmir this year. But she doesn’t forget to mention that, despite her absence, she has decorated her house and tree for the holidays, and will be relishing a gorgeous plum cake. She shares, “I am spending Christmas in Gulmarg in the middle of the snow, skiing. Also, for the first time in my life, I spent Christmas Eve on a houseboat.”

When asked what she wants for Christmas, Kumra declares: “A sports film! I’ve been manifesting it for a long time, and I hope it transpires this year. Something that will change the game for me.”

If the second wave hadn’t taken a toll on our lives and work, Mrunal Thakur’s film Toofaan, alongside Farhan Akhtar, would have released by now. While the actress is currently homebound in Mumbai, during a chat with us, she shared anecdotes from her recent trips to Kashmir. Mrunal got an opportunity to visit the picturesque locale not once, but twice this year, for work. “I was in seventh grade when I visited Kashmir for the first time. My family and I had visited the Vaishno Devi temple,” she recalls, adding, “This time around, I got an opportunity to go there twice within such a short time span. In fact, I was lucky to witness the first snowfall of my life in Kashmir this year.”

Mrunal further shares, “In January, I went to Gulmarg and Srinagar. It snowed in Srinagar, and I was completely spellbound. Later, in April, I went to Sonamarg and witnessed snowfall once again.”

Mrunal says, “I can’t believe that in the 28 years of my life, this year, I got to witness snowfall not once but twice. In Sonmarg, the temperature was -9 degrees Celsius. It was fun having chai, instant noodles and pakodas in such cold weather. I also went to the tulip garden. I felt like I was in the middle of a romantic movie scene, because wherever I turned, I could only see flowers. I also visited Dal Lake and got a taste of the local cuisine.”

Totally blown away by the beauty of Kashmir, she adds, “It’s heaven on earth and helped me stay sane during the Coronavirus chaos. The beauty of the place and its nature kept me calm and even healed me. I shopped for a lot of goodies for my folks like dry fruits, kesar and even, a pashmina shawl that I surprised my mom with. I plan to take my parents along on my next trip to Kashmir.”

These days, the actress is using the time at her home in Mumbai to sharpen her skills as an artiste. “I am focusing on my dancing and have resumed taking online Kathak lessons. I keep myself engaged and hope that I sail through this phase smoothly,” she signs off.

A Bollywood delegation was on a four-day visit (till January 30) to Kashmir to explore locations for upcoming film projects. Tourism officials say that in the ’60s and ’70s, Kashmir was a favourite destination among filmmakers for shoots, and they are now planning to revive it. The 24-member delegation explored scenic locations of Gulmarg among other places and discussed their plans with the officials.

Kashmir tourism officials say that from quick permissions to fulfilling security requirements, they are taking necessary steps to ease shoots in the area. Officials add that the atmosphere is congenial, and filmmakers will not face any difficulty in shooting. G N Itoo, Director, Tourism, Kashmir, says, “The bond between Bollywood and Kashmir has been old, going back to ’50s and ’60s. Many old films such as Junglee, Bobby and Kabhi Kabhie were shot in Kashmir. There was a period when not many films were shot here, but now we want to revive those old days of shoots. We want the film industry to come here to shoot. Films are one of the biggest platforms to show the beauty, heritage and tradition of Kashmir.”

He adds, “The tourism department has a publicity policy, which has different components such as road shows and films. Film shoots have always given a publicity boost to Kashmir tourism.”

Local line producers are also expected to meet the Bollywood delegation. Khawar Jamsheed, who has been a line producer for films like Rockstar and Haider, says, “At present, two-three films from the south are being shot in Kashmir. Some Bollywood film recces are also lined up for February-March. Filmmakers have often preferred to shoot song sequences here, but are now exploring stories of the region. In fact, Srinagar, Pahalgam and Gulmarg are the three preferred locations. Filmmakers are also showing interest in Kargil.” 

Talking about permissions, he says, “We get quick permissions from the Department of Tourism. They give us a letter which states that permission should be quickly given for shoots. For instance, if I need permission from Floriculture department, then I will show the letter and permission is provided immediately. We continuously discuss with government departments to make permission process even smoother.”

----------------------

Talking about the meeting, G N Itoo tells us, “We had a session with the Bollywood delegation. They mentioned some points, such as hassle-free shooting and all permissions and security to be provided in advance, as they have to bring their whole crew from Mumbai. They also discussed single-window permission for film shoots.”

Sarmad Hafeez, Secretary, Tourism, Kashmir, said that wherever needed, security, etc will be provided to them and otherwise as well, there has been a congenial atmosphere towards film shoots.

Ideel Saleem, Deputy Director, Tourism, Kashmir (Publicity), shares, “The delegation visited Gulmarg and discussed the locations. In Srinagar, they visited Shikara, Golf Course, Lal Chowk and other places. We also discussed how the local youth and their skills can be used, so they can help in production and shooting of films.”

A video conference was also organised and Niteshwar Kumar, Principal Secretary to Lieutenant Governor, Jammu and Kashmir, informed the delegation about the film policy which they are working on. Talking to the media, Nitin Ahuja, CEO, Producers Guild pointed out that there was a time when Kashmir was a favourite location for film shoots, and they want to revive it. Line producers tell us that several recces are also planned in March-April.

Actor will be accompanied by Jackie Shroff; team to shoot in Gulmarg and Srinagar over 10 days
Natasha Coutinho (MUMBAI MIRROR; August 14, 2018) 

John Abraham who plays a secret agent and sports 18 different looks as he goes about his mission in Robbie Grewal’s espionage thriller, RAW: Romeo Akbar Walter, will head to Kashmir on August 16 for a 10-day schedule across Gulmarg and Srinagar during which they will shoot a lot of action sequences. The makers have arranged for tight security for the cast and crew. Leading lady Mouni Roy won’t be making the trip to the Valley but Jackie Shroff, who plays the RAW chief, will be present.

Robbie, who is already there, points out that they have hired local actors besides technicians because taking actors from Mumbai won’t give the portions the required vibe. “Even the dress dada (costume designer) is from Kashmir. We are recreating the Valley of the ’70s for our film,” adds the excited director.

Speaking on their choice of location, Vanessa Walia, who is producing the film with Dheeraj Wadhwan, Ajay Kapoor and Robbie, explains that the story required them to film at real locations. “We couldn’t shoot in Pakistan, so we recreated some of the heritage buildings in Gujarat. But Srinagar can’t be replicated in any part of the world, be it Switzerland or Shimla, as it has a unique landscape and feel. It’s also a troubled city but from day one, we knew we would have to shoot in Kashmir for the look Robbie wanted for the film,” she says.

The Gulmarg shoot is scheduled to wrap up in two days, after which the team will move to Sinagar. According to Bunty Walia, who is a consultant on the film, the Director General of Police, Kashmir, has assured him that the law and order situation is normal. “They told me that Vidhu Vinod Chopra has also been shooting there and there’s nothing to worry about. They have assured us security because John and Jackie have a huge fan following and we didn’t want an obstruction in the shoot,” he says.

Earlier speaking to Mirror (August 3) John had pointed out that he had filmed Kabul Express in Afghanistan just after the fall of the Taliban and now was taking RAW to Kashmir because “ a film set can’t replicate what you feel when you are in danger zone”.

Robbie’s father was in the armed forces and had served in Kashmir before he was born. “When I grew up, I visited the Valley and have shot there earlier. The people are warm and understand that when film units come here, people get work,” he says.

Avinash Lohana (MUMBAI MIRROR; June 8, 2018)

Chitrangda Singh, who took off on an eight-day family holiday to Kashmir recently, admits that picturesque countries like Switzerland and Australia are not a patch on Gulmarg and Pahalgam. “I have travelled to many places in the world but there really is nothing like Kashmir,” raves the actress, pointing out that this is her fifth trip to the Valley.

The holiday doubled up as a lesson in fishing with Chitrangda indulging in fly fishing, an angling method using an artificial fly. “We also went trout-fishing, which is a cold-water fish and requires a lot of patience. I wanted to learn this for a long time and got a chance to do so on this trip,” she adds.

The group also trekked from Pahalgam towards Sheshnag Lake and took a short trek around Gulmarg. “We had local friends guiding us but we couldn’t camp overnight anywhere. That’s something I would’ve loved to do,” she says, quick to add that she visited Dachigam National Park instead, a 141 km landscape located 22 km from Srinagar. “It’s really huge and beautiful. We rented cycles for easy travel.”

Chitrangda, who went on a shopping spree with Pashmina shawls and a carpet, points out that she was recognised by tourists but most locals didn’t know her. “Kashmir hasn’t had theatres in the longest time and the locals are disconnected from films. But they’re big on cricket and I spotted them playing it a lot,” she informs.

The actress, who recently wrapped up filming Tigmanshu Dhulia’s Saheb Biwi Aur Gangster 3 alongside Sanjay Dutt, and will next be seen with Saif Ali Khan in Gauravv Chawla’s Bazaar, has never filmed in the Valley. “I love to go back to Kashmir for short trips. The first time I ever tried skiing was in Gulmarg, which remains an unforgettable experience,” she says.

This year, she’s also turned producer with Shaad Ali’s sports-biopic Soorma featuring Diljit Dosanjh and Taapsee Pannu.

Following some power-packed performances, the actor was laid low after a skiing accident and is re-starting his career from scratch
Shravan Shah (MUMBAI MIRROR; February 13, 2018)

Gulshan Deviah grabbed eyeballs with Bejoy Nambiar’s 2011 thriller, Shaitan, and went on to headline the coming-of-age adult comedy Hunterrr four years later as the bumbling Mandar Ponkse. Life was on a roll for the 39-year-old actor when he went to Kashmir to bring in his wedding anniversary on February 12, 2017. The following day, Gulshan was skiing on the snow-capped slopes of Gulmarg when he took a tumble that resulted in a broken knee, and he was to be confined to the bed for the next eight months.

Reminiscing about the unfortunate accident, the actor says, “I was just a beginner, on a 4.5 km run at 10,000 feet. The previous day I had done seven runs from 10 am to 4 pm, and even though I fell a few times I didn’t hurt myself. On February 13, I continued from where I had left off. After three runs I was exhausted but since I was feeling good, I decided to do one more before taking a break. After a kilometre I swerved to the left and my ski got stuck in the snow. The next thing I remember, I’m flying through the air.”

Usually the ski opens out when something like this happens, but in Gulshan’s case, his right knee twisted and snapped. “I knew something bad had happened as a shooting pain felled me,” he narrates, recalling his trainer and wife Kallirroi Tziafeta panicking as they watched him try to stand and topple over because of his knee.

Even as he was hoping it would turn out to be just a sprain; the actor was rushed to the local dispensary in a sledge and, with the help of pain killers, survived the night. “The swelling was so bad that even going to the bathroom was difficult. The doctors told me that the medial and lateral ligaments had been severely damaged and my anterior ligament was blown. I would have to undergo surgery but they needed to rehabilitate my leg first for three weeks by putting it in a straight brace which I could only take off while having a bath. I could barely walk,” he recalls.

After three weeks, Gulshan went into surgery and post-op couldn’t bend his knee even at 15 degree but the pain was gone. “The doctor said I was one in a thousand cases when it came to pain tolerance. I guess I had prepped myself well,” he slants a wry smile, going on to inform that the doctors had used a tendon to replace the ligament which, being much harder, usually needs a year to become more flexible. “After two months, the doctor assured me that my leg was healing well but I was out of work for eight months. I had to drop a couple of films and turn down two I might have done, along with several other offers. In the meantime I only focused on my physiotherapy. At times I would even over-train and then the doctor would tell me off,” he smiles.

Finally, Gulshan is back on his feet with Vasan Bala’s romcom Mard Ko Dard Nahin Hota, which introduces Abhimanyu Dassani and Radhika Madan. “The physical training I had to undergo was a challenge as my leg was broken then. This is the only film I am doing and we should wrap it up by early March. It’s almost like re-starting my career from scratch after eight months of being out of action,” he signs off with a smile.

Sanyukta Iyer (MUMBAI MIRROR; May 2, 2017)

Actress-activist Dia Mirza, who was in Kashmir to attend Jashn-e-Baramulla, a two-day youth festival organised by the army to raise awareness and create jobs for the locals, topped her riveting speech at the event by participating in cultural acts put up by the locals.

“There was a girl band and performances on Kashmiri folk songs. The grace with which the young girls danced to the music that captures true ‘Kashmiriyat’, the Sufi qawwals, gave me goosebumps,” Dia, who returned to Mumbai on April 26 told Mirror.

Noting that the youth in the Valley, despite their extraordinary circumstances, just want to live their lives to their fullest potential like their counterparts everywhere else, Dia said, “There is no dearth of talent in the Valley; all they need is the freedom and awareness to make choices.”

The actress, who had always wanted to visit Kashmir, had taken off to Gulmarg with her businessman-film producer husband, Sahil Sangha, for their first wedding anniversary in 2015.

“It will always be my most special memory of being in the Valley. Gulmarg is truly spellbinding. I always make it a point to experience a place even if I am visiting it only for work. This time I went a day ahead of schedule and spent the most amazing six hours exploring Srinagar. I took a ride in the shikara on the Dal Lake, sipping hot kawa, and absorbing the natural beauty that surrounded us. It was like being in a poem. The tulip gardens are a sight to behold. We ended our time in Srinagar eating garam pakodas and tea cakes. It was surreal!” Dia exulted.

As she turns 66, Shabana Azmi on how she has mellowed down over the years...
Subhash K Jha (DNA; September 18, 2016)

Shabana Azmi’s had a career most actresses her age would be envious of. She’s constantly and bravely gone against the grain and accepted norm to deliver performances that in retrospect, will go down in history, as part of her rather strong legacy. Also, she is one to call a spade a spade and doesn’t mince words when getting her point across. As she turns 66 and we sit down to have a conversation, one cannot think of any other actress who has impacted mainstream and arthouse cinema as profoundly as she has. Excerpts...

It’s been a good year, right?
It has. The appreciation I received for Neerja, particularly from my industry colleagues, made me wonder if I had done anything worthwhile before! It was overwhelming.

Do you see the challenging roles coming your way at the pace you’d like?
I do think it’s a golden period for actors because all kinds of films are being made: mainstream, parallel, middle-of-the-road, independent films, etc. I’m doing comedy, drama, negative roles, etc. Earlier, I largely had dramatic, heroic roles on my plate. At one point Aparna Sen said to me, “Your off-screen persona is becoming so dominant that your choice of roles will get affected.” That remark set me thinking because I’ve been trained in the Stanislavsky Method that says an actor should be able to prefix the words, ‘If I were..a queen, a slum dweller, a whore..’ And be able to inhabit the world of that character with truth.

Do you choose roles only when they match your own political aesthetic and moral sensibilities?
It’s a difficult choice. When I did Godmother, feminists were annoyed with me. They said, ‘We want women to enter politics, but if someone like you plays a woman politician who is corrupt, you hurt our cause’. I tried explaining that the director Vinay Shukla was looking at the film from the lens of caste politics, not gender politics. Plus, it was a layered part that doesn’t come one’s way that often. From then on, I decided that I would do a variety of roles, provided of course, that they didn’t promote patriarchy or communalism.

Which are the films you’re working on right now?
I’ve just completed Piyush Panjuani’s Idgah, based on Munshi Premchand’s story of the same name. We shot in Gulmarg and I was happy to be filming there after so many years. The place was teeming with tourists and it seemed normalcy had finally returned to the Kashmir Valley. Within days of our pack-up, the peace was shattered as if kisiki nazar lag gayi. Heart-wrenching. I’ve also just completed an American production Signature Move, directed by Jennifer Reeder and executive produced by Michael Shannon who played Elvis in the film Elvis & Nixon.

What else?
What do you mean,what else? Aur kitna karoon? I’m carrying on with theatre productions — IPTA’s Kaifi Aur Main and Alyque Padamsee’s Broken Images, written by Girish Karnad. I’m also doing a TV serial Amma, where I play a mafia don.

As you grow a year older, what emotional changes do you see within yourself?
I have mellowed and am interested in the solution, not in holding on to the problem. I am willing to really listen to the other person’s point of view. I believe that dialogue must remain the only option to resolving problems. I also party very little and prefer to hang out with my family and close circle of friends. In fact, I’m becoming more of a ghar ghussad (homebody) than ever before. I travel so much that I have little energy for the social scene.

How has Indian society changed, according to you?
Indian society is in a position of transition. Women are coming into their own, but violence against women has the tacit approval of societies all over the world. Men are mostly stuck in their sense of entitlement because we continue to be a patriarchal society. It worries me also that communalism is getting more deeply entrenched in our society because political parties continue to use it as a tool for vote- bank politics.

You have always been one of the strongest voices of protest in our country. What is the one issue that bothers you the most among our many societal failings?
Social injustice. That people continue to be passive recipients rather than active participants in the democratic process. That the development model successive governments have adopted over the years has led to a greater divide between the rich and the poor. That after 70 years we still haven’t been able to provide drinking water, housing, education, health services to all. That GDP continues to be the yardstick of progress rather than the human development index.

What makes heroes and role models so scarce in our country?
Heroes are created by either a great ideology or a great struggle. At present, all over the world, we see an absence of both. That’s why we don’t have heroes like Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr or Nelson Mandela who used non-violence as the only alternative for freedom. Today, Donald Trump is in the running for a position once held by Lincoln! They don’t make them like that anymore. Democracy, as necessary as it is — and I wouldn’t trade it for any other system — has an inherent flaw. Electoral politics forces leaders to take short-term populist decisions that can get them re-elected. But real development can only happen when you plan 20 to 50 years ahead. It’s also necessary that successive governments do not reverse projects that have been put in place by previous governments. And please, let history not become a handmaiden of the political dispensation of the day!

How do you look back at your marriage to Javed?
With satisfaction and gratitude. There is no person other than Javed that I would have rather been married to. He makes me laugh, he makes me think, he pushes me to push myself but basically that he and I share the same worldview. Touchwood, a thousand times over.

Finally, if you had to change one thing in your life, what would it be?
That I would learn how to cook!

Hiren Kotwani (BOMBAY TIMES; August 25, 2015)