Cinema in Himachal & Film Festivals

How can we develop cinema in Himachal Pradesh if there is no cinema hall for the people to watch films? This is the question many filmmakers shoot in response to producing Pahari films. Off course they are not wrong but they are not right either. Cinema halls are for mainstream cinema and which have always been. They always play the mainstream films where millions or billions of rupees are spent to produce them. Being a less populated state, it's not easy to run a cinema hall in Himachal Pradesh. But the saying is that necessity is the mother of all. If we focus on producing the films for international audiences, the local audience will also come forward to watch the film.

Well filmmakers produce Pahari films or not, the businessmen build cinema halls or not, but the demand for cinema has already been increasing in Himachal. In response to that some people have started providing good cinema to the people over here. As of now, two film festivals are being organized in Himachal every year. 

Shimla Film Festival was organized in the beginning of this year in Shimla which received an overwhelming response from local community as well as from the tourists. Although some of the delegates were not happy with the management and the judges decision but all this happens during the first time. 

On the other hand Dharamshala International Film Festival was started in 2012 and is being organized this year for 3rd time subsequently. Dharamshala International Film Festival is a non-profit venture presented by White Crane Arts & Media, a trust set up by long-term Dharamshala residents and internationally renowned filmmakers, Ritu Sarin and Tenzing Sonam, to promote contemporary art, cinema and independent media practices in the Himalayan region.

Soon there are some other groups looking forward for the development of Cinema in Himachal and working on certain projects. Hopefully we will be able to see some good and meaningful cinema in Himachal soon.

Upcoming Festival

Dharamshala International Film Festival 2014

30 October - 2 November 2014

Venue : Tibetan Institute of Performing Arts (TIPA)

Mcleodganj, Dharamshala

For more details visit

http://diff.co.in/

Article by : +Ajay Saklani  (Silent Hills Studio)

What is Pahari Cinema

Pahari Cinema is the word being used for the films based on the language of hill states in India. This region comprises of Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Jammu & Kashmir. As the Kashmir is divided into two parts claimed by two countries India and Pakistan, so the cinema in these two Kashmiri regions also comes under Pahari Cinema. Due to small audience there are not many renowned films produced in this region. Besides the audiences, the language is also a barrier. The Pahari region consist of many languages spoken in small sects which includes Kashmiri, Potowari, Ladakhi, Dogri, Lahauli, Kinnauri, Kumauni, Garhwali, Nepali (Gorkhali), Tibetan, etc.

The word Pahari means the land with hills. Pahari can also be written as Pahadi as per it's pronunciation. While introducing our blog regarding Pahari Cinema, we would like to quote that this blog will also contain the information about cinema in the Pahari region of Pakistan. Along with that we will also write about the Music & entertainment industry in this region. 

To begin with we are sharing the information of Potowari films produced in Kashmir (Pakistan). In that region the Pahari Cinema is been given a name of Pahariwood as derived from Hollywood, Bollywood and Pollywood. Here is the list of some Potowari films : 

• Nahla Pe Dahla
• Paira Chaska Walayat Naa
• Sayr Upar Sawa Sayr
• Mister Saadah
• Khushiyaan
• Chabarey
• Khaie Aaye O
• Nikka Raja
• Chan Mhara Charya
• Chan Pardeshi
• Uchay Shamlay
• Maye Ni Maye
• Mobile Mohabtaan
• Main Ve Kukarr Khasaa
• Red Passport Nay Rolay
• Phapa Aaya Pakistan
• Acho Khairi Naal

All these films are part of the Potowari TV series Miki Kharo (Make Me).