Delegation of Kashmir Film and Television Association (KFTA) Calls on National Spokesperson of Lok Janshakti Party Shri Sanjay Saraf

Srinagar, September 29, 2026 :A delegation of senior members of the Kashmir Film and Television Association (KFTA) called on Shri Sanjay Saraf Ji, National Spokesperson, Lok Janshakti Party, yesterday evening.

The delegation was led by Mr. Mushtaaque Ali Ahmad Khan, Founder & Director, Kashmir World Film Festival (KWFF), and comprised prominent film professionals including Mr. Zameer Ashai, Mr. G. M. Wani, Mr. Hussein Khan, Mr. Hassan Javaid and others.

The delegation apprised Shri Saraf of the serious challenges being faced by the local film fraternity, particularly the lack of institutional support and non-cooperation from the present administration. The members expressed deep anguish that Kashmiri artists, filmmakers and professionals were completely ignored in the recently held government-sponsored film festival. It was pointed out that not a single film professional from Kashmir was involved in its planning and execution, despite huge expenditure of public money.

The delegation emphasized that organizing film festivals is a professional job requiring domain expertise, and not a bureaucratic exercise.

It is worth recalling that the credibility of the delegation leader is well-established. Mr. Mushtaaque Ali Ahmad Khan has successfully organized 5 editions of Kashmir World Film Festival (KWFF) in Srinagar and one edition of J&K International Film Festival (JAKIFF) in Pune in June 2022. He has served as a Member of the International Jury at Nepal Cultural International Film Festival (NCIFF) 2024, Kathmandu, Nepal, and has been invited as a special delegate to prestigious film festivals at Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala), Sriganganagar (Rajasthan), Delhi, Mumbai and other cities.

It is also pertinent to mention that in 2017 and 2018, when even the idea of reopening cinema halls was considered unthinkable, Mr. Khan was the only person who publicly stood for cinema.

The delegation sought Shri Saraf’s intervention to ensure justice for the local film community and submitted a detailed memorandum.

Key Demands Raised by the Delegation:

a) A clarification be sought on the expenditure incurred on the recent government-organized festival;

b) The Government should support and institutionalize credible, existing private initiatives like KWFF; and

c) Future film festivals in J&K should be entrusted to film professionals with local talent at the centre.

Key Points of the Memorandum:

Government Claim is Factually Incorrect: The recently held government festival is not the first-ever international film festival of J&K. The first international film festival of this scale in Kashmir was the Kashmir World Film Festival (KWFF), conceived and executed by Mr. Mushtaaque Ali Ahmad Khan in ‘2017’, at a time when no cinema hall was functional in the Valley.

Concern: Instead of strengthening a 9-year-old credible platform built through personal sacrifice and commitment, the Government spent public exchequer on a parallel festival without relevant experience and without engaging local talent.

The delegation stated that ‘KWFF’ is not just an event; it is a movement. It is an endeavour to place Kashmir firmly on the global cultural map, built on vision, passion, sacrifice and inclusivity – values that can never be replicated by hurried, superficial exercises. Its biggest achievement has been the involvement of youth.

The filmmakers of Kashmir reiterated that they are keen to create a vibrant atmosphere for the film industry in J&K and demanded that the elected Chief Minister come forward to strengthen the hands of local filmmakers and festival directors with reasonable financial support.

‘KWFF’ will continue to remain a true symbol of Kashmir’s artistic spirit and resilience.

After listening to the grievances of the delegation in detail, Shri Sanjay Saraf Ji assured them of his unconditional support and committed to raising their genuine concerns at all appropriate platforms.