Kashmir's Cultural Icons

In the early 2000s, a comedian appeared on Kashmir cable television and quickly became a crowd favourite.

- 

For a generation living through long years of harrowing, his humour was a rare relief. Families would gather in their living rooms, children laughing along, and adults smiling after days weighed down by news of violence and tension.

Amid uncertainty, the cultural character brought laughter, and in that laughter, a small sense of normalcy.

But the reality behind the smiles was far from easy. In recent years, this comedian, this icon of a generation, had to turn to crowdfunding for medical support. His story is not unique.