Movies and a Mirage

Previously portrayed as a peaceful paradise, post-1990s Kashmir in Bollywood has become politicised

- Naseer Ganai

WHEN 21-year-old artist Mureen Shahmiri assayed the role of a Kashmiri militant in the 2024 film Operation Valentine, driving an SUV loaded with explosives zeroing in on a vehicle with security forces, little did he know, he would be the object of ridicule in viral memes.

Shahmiri, a journalism student, landed the role of a militant in the film, based on India's cross-border airstrikes in Balakot, soon after he played an onscreen informer to the armed forces in another TV series, Rakshak (2023).

While his film career slowly takes shape, Shahmiri has garnered more attention offscreen, dealing with trolling and memes, by those who criticise his film roles, labelling them as negative for Kashmiris.

Shahmiri insists that he simply portrayed the character as an actor in the film, distancing himself from endorsing any particular viewpoint or ideology.

"When I was offered this small role of driving a vehicle with explosives and acting like an angry Kashmiri who had to blow up himself, I was a bit reluctant. I talked to various actors. They suggested that I should go ahead with it," he explains. "I am an artist and I tried to act as an artist. In the future, you will see me in better 

roles," he adds. However, after a moment of contemplation, he expresses his preference for roles portraying a romantic hero or a saviour rather than negative characters, emphasising his aspiration as a Kashmiri artist.

With numerous filmmakers choosing Kashmir as a shooting location and some producing films centred around the region, Kashmiri artists are now actively participating in auditions.

"When filmmakers come to Kashmir to shoot and especially if the film revolves around Kashmir, they require Kashmiri artists, we step in to bridge that gap," Shahmiri says.