New Delhi: Jammu & Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Monday admitted that old Bollywood remains a significant part of his playlist.
While addressing the crowd at the inaugural edition of the International Film Festival of Jammu & Kashmir (IFFJK) in Srinagar, he said, “Some of my favourite songs, part of multiple playlists from my home, just happened to be filmed in Kashmir. Whether it’s Kabhie Kabhie Mere Dil Mein or Sanjeev Kumar and Suchitra Sen at Markan Temple, with Tere Bina Zindagi Se from Andhi, probably one of my old-time favourites.”
He also revealed that one of Rishi Kapoor’s songs is a family favourite in his household.
“Yeh Vada Raha, from the film of the same name, with the claps and thigh slaps, we couldn’t quite master. But it was filmed beautifully at the Shiv temple in Bulma,” he said. “I share it with my sisters.”
He also remembered the late filmmaker Yash Chopra saying that through films like Chandani to Kabhie Kabhie and later Jab Tak Hai Jaan, he captured the hanging seasons of Kashmir.
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The many Kashmirs on screen
Abdullah went on to mention the contribution of Vishal Bhardwaj, Imtiaz Ali and Kabir Khan.
He credited Bhardwaj for bringing Shakespeare’s Hamlet through Haider, utilising the architecture and winter landscape to craft a cinematic masterpiece; Imtiaz Ali for capturing soul-searching journeys in Rockstar and Highways; and Kabir Khan for showing the hospitality of local people in Bajrangi Bhaijaan.
Abdullah applauded Vidhu Vinod Chopra, who was one of the chief guests of the evening, for making Mission Kashmir. But the CM revealed that he wasn’t a big fan of watching houseboats and Shikara blowing up.
“But the story demanded it,” he said. “And anyway, he did more to make Bumro, Bumro a globally recognised song than anyone before him.”
(Edited by Saptak Datta)