Srinagar, Sep 7 (NVI): Bollywood actor Fatima Sana Shaikh on Monday welcomed the launch of the first International Film Festival of Jammu and Kashmir (IFFJK), saying cinema and cultural events have the power to bring people together and strengthen the region’s cultural connect.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the festival in Srinagar, Shaikh said she was happy to be back in Kashmir after several years and described her visit as feeling like “coming home”.
“Any film festival or any cultural event is very important because it brings people together. Cinema often does this,” she said, while appreciating the initiative to organise an international film festival in Kashmir.
Shaikh said she was proud to be associated with the inaugural edition and thanked the organisers for bringing the event to the region.
Asked whether Kashmir could continue to host an international film festival, the actor expressed confidence in its prospects.
“100 per cent, I think it already is,” she said.
Shaikh also noted that Kashmir has historically been a popular destination for film shootings and continues to attract film productions, though the frequency of shoots may vary.
The inaugural IFFJK is being held from September 7 to 10 and features filmmakers, cinema professionals and films from India and various parts of the world.
The festival is aimed at providing a platform for cinematic exchange and promoting Jammu and Kashmir as a destination for films and cultural engagement.—(NVI)
