Bollywood offers a more serene destination for talents from Kashmir

Left Aashu Khan who plays the cajon with Rafi Khan a vocalist and guitar player at their Ghatkopar home PicSneha KharabeIn 2013 when 28yearold Rafi Khan was waiting at the Srinagar International Airport to board a flight to Mumbai he remembers feeling both excitement and dread I couldnt ignore the knot in my tummy because I was leaving home and travelling thousands of kilometres to a city where I knew nobody simply on the assurance of a lady I had met a few days ago says the vocalist who hails from Batamaloo SrinagarKhan was no stranger to compliments for his mellifluous voice when he would perform at cafes in the Valley Patrons including music producers and filmmakers vacationing in the Valley would often walk up to him and suggest he head to Mumbai and make a career in Bollywood Nobody offered help or guidance But when I met interior designer Rupal Mehta from Ghatkopar who was in Srinagar for work there was promise in her voice he recalls Two days later he received a call from Mehta informing him that there was an event in Mumbai where he could performTassaduq Hussain a cinematographer moved to Mumbai from Srinagar in November Currently he is assisting ad filmmakers and lives in LokhandwalaA home in BollywoodIt has been four years since that day at the airport On Thursday when we meet Khan at a 3BHK rented apartment in Ghatkopar which he shares with a Maharashtrian family hes busy prepping for a gig at a Lower Parel cafe Twice a week the vocalist croons Sufi numbers at the venue On other days were busy travelling to other cities for cultural and corporate events he says But his goal remains Bollywood In my family parents two brothers and a sister I am the only one enamoured with Bollywood I would pick up tunes and strum them on my guitar for hours His father a doctor who also runs a medical store in Srinagar wasnt in favour and suggested he manage the shop He felt a musician had no future in Kashmir but I couldnt sit at the shop for more than two days he laughs Ultimately they gave inKhan moved to his current apartment two years ago Till then I was living with Rupal and her family who treated me like one of their own He now shares the flat and splits the Rs 20000 rent with Aashu Khan a fellow Kashmiri musician who plays the cajon a boxshaped percussion instrument originally from Peru We along with two other boys were part of a band back home called Valley Boys When we would step out of our homes with our guitars in a case people would think we were carrying guns he saysUmar WaniStruggling with biasesMumbai with its alluring charm of freedom and seemingly endless employment opportunities is attracting several young Kashmiris Umar Wani from Nishat Srinagar who has worked as an actor in television serials like Vivaah and Dharam Patni was runner up at the 2007 Gladrags Manhunt and Mega Model pageant He says he gets calls from young men back home every other day wanting to make it in Bollywood The problem is people dont know how to go about it They dont know what kind of homework you need to do to make the cut says Wani who made Mumbai his home in 2007 The 30yearold is also working on making Kashmirs first homegrown commercial filmThe story is about a young Kashmiris struggle to make it in the movies Theres so much talent there but people arent even aware that acting can be made into a career he says Wani who often shuttles between Srinagar and Mumbai is gunning only for Bollywood movies now With serials you tend to fall into a pattern in terms of roles and storylines Movies offer more imaginative roles He however agrees that its not easy to make it into the movies despite talent and good looks Being a Kashmiri Muslim often works against themRafi Khan recalls how he was selected by the judges at two music reality shows but was dropped by the channel at the last minute It was a strange pattern that I encountered on three occasions They wouldnt offer any explanation either he says He also remembers how difficult it was to rent a house in the cityTassaduq Hussain a cinematographer says his identity as a Kashmiri often evokes an amusing mix of reactions People are fascinated But many also treat you like aliens he laughs Jokes calling him an aatankwadi are not uncommon I brush it off he says Currently assisting ad filmmakers with their projects the Lokhandwala resident nevertheless loves Mumbai Despite the stereotypes life here is fascinating You meet all kinds of people and more often than not they are niceTaking the camera homeMir Sarwar who played Munnis father in the 2015 Salman Khanstarrer Bajrangi Bhaijaan is making efforts like Wani to establish a film industry back home He has made a movie called Kashmir Daily in Koshur and will release the Hindi version in the country later When I decided to make a career in Bollywood I had no mentor to show me the ropes Bahut joote ghisse hain is chakkar mein he saysTill 2014 Sarwar was still living in Pandrethan Srinagar But I would travel to Mumbai for meetings and look tests Id stay for a week and return I finally shifted in 2014 he says The actor adds that he encourages other filmmakers to work on short films and contributes to their projects without charging a fee in order to encourage filmmaking among residents of the ValleyIt took us four years to fulfill our dream as it was a completely self financed project I am hopeful that after the release of this film more people will come forward to take the chance that we took