Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has said the stories of Jammu and Kashmir should be told by filmmakers from the region, underlining the need to build local creative talent and technical capacity to revive the film industry in the Union Territory.
The Chief Minister was speaking during a visit to the Indian Institute of Creative Technologies (IICT) campus at the National Film Development Corporation (NFDC) in Mumbai, where he explored possibilities for institutional collaboration in film education, creative technologies and capacity building.
“Our own stories must be told by our own people. Through a formal relationship with institutions like the IICT and NFDC, we aim to equip our students with new-age skills in editing, sound, lighting, VFX, and post-production. This will not only reduce costs for filmmakers but also create jobs and sustainable livelihoods in an industry that continues to grow,” Omar said.
A strategic discussion session was held during the visit to identify potential areas of collaboration between the J&K government and IICT.
Reflecting on Kashmir’s long association with Indian cinema, the Chief Minister said filmmaking in the region had undergone a major shift over the years.
“There was a time when a film was not considered complete without at least one song sequence shot in Kashmir. Over the years, circumstances changed, and filmmaking in J&K became difficult. Today, as conditions improve, we are consciously working to restore the relationship between cinema and J&K,” he said.
Highlighting the evolving nature of the film industry, Omar added, “At the same time, filmmaking itself has evolved. Much of what once required large physical setups can now be achieved through computers, post-production, and advanced technologies. If we want J&K to once again become an attractive destination for filmmaking, we must build local human talent and post-production capability.”
The discussions focused on student exchange programmes, skill development across AVGC and emerging creative technologies, digital heritage and cultural preservation using immersive tools, and the creation of a startup incubation and innovation ecosystem to generate sustainable employment for youth in J&K.
Following the discussions, the Chief Minister visited the NFDC Bharat Pavilion and Museum, which documents India’s cinematic heritage.
He was also given a walkthrough of IICT’s academic and technology infrastructure, including presentations and live demonstrations at the Rangayan Preview Theatre, the Anubhuti Drishya Immersive Studio Lab, and the Photogrammetry Studio, showcasing applications of AR, VR, mixed reality and digital twin technologies.
IICT Chief Executive Officer Vishwas Deoskar said, “We are grateful to the CM for visiting the IICT campus. The interaction was extremely meaningful, and we look forward to building productive collaborations that can enable skill development, foster innovation, and create long-term employment and entrepreneurship opportunities for young talent from J&K, particularly within the media, entertainment, and creative technology sectors.”
