Bollywood’s J-K lecture leaves Muftis bristling
Mohammed Wajihuddin
Indian Express : - Friday, January 24, 2003

Mumbai, January 23: A harangue from Bollywood on human rights was the last thing J-K Chief Minister Mufti Mohammed Sayeed and his daughter Mehbooba expected.

But their “informal” chat with the Hindi film industry at the Club in Andheri on Tuesday turned into a testy exchange when “bleeding heart” (his words) Anupam Kher raised the cause of Kashmiri Pandit refugees.

It started quietly in a restaurant with Sayeed promising Bollywood a decked-up Dal Lake and a “burf se bhara” (snow-laden) Gulmarg. Director Yash Chopra handed the mike to lyricist Javed Akhtar. Just then, Kher, accompanied by Panun Kashmir’s leader Ashok Pandit, intervened.

“Please move to another hall where we can hear Mufti saheb clearly,” suggested Kher. Chairs were moved in while reporters were asked to shift to the back row. It was Kher’s time to “speak from my heart.”

The actor said: “Mufti saheb, before seeking Bollywood, spend some time in the camps of Kashmiri Pandits. Salve the wounds of those refugees before you invite us to shoot in Kashmir.” Laughter filled the room as Kher said: “My friend Satish Kaushik often jokes, we don’t need to shoot in Kashmir because Kashmiris are shooting themselves.”

The levity didn’t last. Vidhu Vinod Chopra, whose Mission Kashmir was shot in the shadow of terrorism, first praised Farooq Abdullah for a while and then talked of numerous “harassments.”

“Our unit had checked into a private hotel. An authority from J-K Tourism Ministry offered me to stay in a government-owned hotel for free. But they handed me a bill for Rs 12 lakh which was more than what I would have paid in a better-maintained private hotel,” Vidhu said.

Mehbooba, stung by the tough talk, retorted: “I can’t stand Anupam. You want Kashmir to be first fine and then come to shoot. If everything is fine, why can’t we prefer Hollywood to Bollywood. You are supposed to be creative, but you talk like businessmen. Shoulder the efforts we are making to bring peace.”

Javed Akhtar hit the hammer home: “You can’t bring peace unless Kashmiri Pandits are resettled. The character of Kashmir is incomplete without the Pandits.”

By now Sayeed had enough. “Hum kashkol le kar nahin aye hain (We have not come with a begging bowl. We have come to seek your help in our healing efforts).”