NEW DELHI; Sorrow is the overriding emotion that veteran actor Anupam Kher feels on returning to his native Kashmir for the shooting of 'Tahaan,' that releases in theatres this Friday.
A Santosh Sivan directed film about the journey of a Kashmiri boy in search of his beloved donkey tries to capture the fabled beauty of the Valley.
Recounting his experiences while shooting for the film, Kher says, "I went to Kashmir after twenty-one years, but it made me sad. The soul of Kashmir looks wounded and I do not think it will be same again," he says adding that the film was very close to his heart."
The actor however, refused to comment on the present crisis on the Amarnath land transfer directly saying that the whole issue was political and common public had nothing to do with it.
"I do not want comment on it but it is all political. What Kashmir really needs is employment and peace," he says.
Expressing sadness over the perception that people carry about Kashmir, Kher says, "Nowadays, when we talk about Kashmir we only remember death, destruction and violence but we forget its beauty. 'Tahaan' tries to establish the beauty of the valley and reminds us that it is still a very beautiful place."
Kher who plays the role of a kind hearted Kashmiri Muslim trader, whose entire family has been destroyed by the conflict in the valley, says, " We have played a very small role in the film. The best acting is that of the child and the donkey."
Though, many films have been made on terrorism in Kashmir, Sivan's film tries to look at these serious issues through the eyes of a child, whose life seems normal on the surface but is not devoid of the bitter realities of his birthplace.
"It is the story of a boy who journeys across the valley to find his donkey and through his journey he meets different characters and how he deals with them is the story of this film," says Sivan.
"What I really love about the film is the love that the child has for his donkey and is ready to go to any length to get him back. Not many films today carry the message of love so strongly," says actor Rahul Bose, who is playing a supporting role of a Kashmiri young man in the film.
Produced under the banner of 'I Dream Productions', and extensively shot at picturesque town Pahalgaam in Jammu and Kashmir the film also stars Purav Bhandare, Sarika, Victor Banerjee and Rahul Khanna.
Award winning director Sivan is best known for films 'Asoka,' 'The Terrorist' and 'Before the Rains.'
