Onlykashmir.in News Desk
The Department of Information and Public Relations organized a one day workshop titled CINE CONNECT on Cinema Art at the Media Complex in Jammu, reinforcing its institutional push to cultivate a robust cinematic ecosystem under the J&K Film Policy.
The programme brought together students from Indian Institute of Mass Communication Jammu, Government Polytechnic College Gandhinagar, and artists from the Academy of Art Culture and Languages. Conceived as a capacity building initiative, the workshop sought to align emerging creative talent with the expanding opportunities within the film industry.
Addressing the concluding session, Director Information and Public Relations Nitish Rajora underscored the department’s resolve to provide sustained exposure to aspiring filmmakers and artists. He emphasized that such interventions are designed to familiarize young minds with the technical, aesthetic, and professional dimensions of filmmaking, while consolidating Jammu and Kashmir’s evolving film landscape.
Joint Director Information HQ Dr Zahoor Ahmad Raina commended the initiative as a strategic step toward nurturing local talent and operationalizing the J&K Film Policy in both spirit and structure. He reiterated the broader objective of positioning Jammu and Kashmir as a preferred filming destination while catalyzing employment in the creative economy.
In his welcome address, Nodal Officer Film Policy J&K Maheer Thakur articulated the workshop’s intent to bridge the distance between aspirants and industry practitioners through first hand engagement with cinema arts.
The technical sessions were led by Actor and Director Ajay Paul Singh Andotra, Filmmaker and Founder AVD Motion Pictures Atul Vinod Duggal, and Bollywood Actor Mir Sarwar. Mir Sarwar conducted an interactive masterclass on acting techniques, including method acting and situational performance, engaging participants through live demonstrations and practical exercises aimed at cultivating confidence and discipline.
Ajay Paul Singh Andotra elaborated on career trajectories in acting and direction, reflecting on his professional journey and highlighting theatre as a foundational training ground. Atul Vinod Duggal offered a comprehensive exposition on film production, detailing key domains such as direction, cinematography, editing, sound design, production management, scriptwriting, and art direction, while encouraging youth to explore both creative and technical avenues in Bollywood and regional cinema.
The workshop concluded with an interactive exchange in which students and artists sought clarity on auditions, career pathways, filmmaking processes, and industry challenges. Among those present were Director Information and Public Relations Nitish Rajora, Joint Director Information HQ Dr Zahoor Ahmad Raina, Joint Director Information Jammu Deepak Dubey, Nodal Officer Film Policy J&K Maheer Thakur, officers of DIPR, and faculty members from Indian Institute of Mass Communication Jammu and Government Polytechnic College Jammu.
The initiative marks a calibrated effort to institutionalize film culture in Jammu and Kashmir and to equip its youth with informed access to the expanding creative sector.
