Actor-filmmaker Javed Jaffrey says he had mixed feelings upon receiving a National Film Award for his production venture of his contemporary documentary film Inshallah, Kashmir. He feels there is a need for more avenues to exhibit such cinema.
“There is a dichotomy of emotions which I felt while receiving this award. I feel great that the film has been recognised by the highest body, but then where do we go from hereIJ We are looking at how these films can be exhibited,” Javed said who received the best investigative film award, along with the movie’s director Ashvin Kumar from President Pranab Mukherjee in the Capital recently.
“In a feature film, the question of censorship always comes up. This film is completely different. It’s in your face. These are real people who haven’t been given lines to narrate. It shows the amount of turbulence which is prevalent in the system today,” he said.
For such cinema to reach a wider audience, the Government and media will have to lend it more importance. “The filmmaker puts in a lot of money and labour into the film. The government, people and media need to encourage such cinema. We are not looking at a Rs200 crore film, but basic respect of good cinema should be given,” he said.
After being in the industry for over two decades, Javed said that he has learnt to make the best of what he has. “What exists, exists. You cannot change that. It is very important to move on and the make the best of what you have,” he concluded.
—IANS