Kashmiri actor Ayash Arif talks about his foray into Kannada cinema

Kashmiri actor Ayash Arif talks about his foray into Kannada cinema

Ayash Arif may be a new name for people in Karnataka, but is a household name in Kashmir. The actor has been a part of Kashmiri theatre, and Doordarshan for over two decades, besides hosting radio shows. He has a PhD in Indigenous Folk Theatre of Kashmir and Electronic Media and has worked as a writer, journalist, producer, director and actor in Kashmir.

That is about to change with Arif collaborating with cinematographer Ashok Cashyap from Karnataka for a Kashmiri-Kannada bilingual Flowers From Kashmir. The film features Kannada actors Nagabharana and Sita Khote with Arif, GM Wani, Anju Matoo, Javid khan, Imran Farooq, Mohumed shahid and Nishu Sharma from Kashmir. MS Ramesh has done the screenplay, Ashok’s wife and journalist, Rekha Rani, has written the dialogues and the story, direction and cinematography are by Ashok.

“We are excited about this film as it is a joint venture of four friends: Ashok, Masrath Khan, Mushtaq Wani and myself,” says Arif over the phone from Jammu. “We have named our banner Char Chinar Cinemax, after the famous place in Kashmir besides Dal Lake.” Arif, the winner of the Tagore National Scholarship (2013-2014) is an alumni of the National School of Drama (1973), and has worked as a Member of General Counsel/ Central Committee of Jammu and Kashmir Academy of Art, Culture and Languages.

Flowers from Kashmir, Arif says was shot in Kashmir, in the middle of winter. “We faced a many challenges and harsh climatic conditions during the shoot. At times, it was so cold, I would find it tough to retain the emotions of the character while facing the camera. Yet, each of us managed to work despite these challenges.”

The climax, Arif says, was shot in the snowy peaks of Harmukh Mountain. “The high altitude shoot presented challenges.” Arif has acted in Hindi and Kashmiri films like Emergency (with Kangana Ranaut), Inqalab, Sajan and Muthi Barkhaq.

The Kashmiri version of Flowers From Kashmir is in the post production stage and will be released before the Kannada version, Arif says. “I have spoken in Kannada for the Kannada version and my fellow actors from Bengaluru have spoken in Kashmiri for the Kashmiri version. This way we learnt a lot about each other’s culture, language. No matter where we come from, humanity is one, friendships are the same, and that is what comes through in the film too.”

The film, Arif says, is the result of his over two-decade long friendship with Ashok. “We worked together on a documentary for Doordarshan on Kashmir and the floating gardens of Dal Lake in 1989. Soon we were working together in many Kashmiri serials, for Doordarshan. That is when I discovered that Ashok is well-versed with Kashmiri culture, our traditions and language. I also find it easy to explain any concept or story regarding Kashmir to him. “