Dr Meetu Meenia
Partition of the country deeply wounded the sentiments of the people. Jammu was also no exception. Before the partition there was no trace of caste system here. Hindus and Muslims lived with love and affection. Suddenly a poisonous wind blew hatred and religious fanaticism became rampant. There was uproar all around. People had to leave their homelands and settle in new places. The bodies had gone but the memories remained. Many love stories died before they could blossom. One such love story has been depicted through a Dogri Movie “SHAH SHANI” which has been produced by J.K. Cineplex and written/directed by Rajneesh Kumar Gupta.
Here are some excerpts from an interview with Rajneesh Kumar Gupta.
What persuaded you to present the concept in the form of a movie?
Ans: I often wondered why did we get separated due to the instigation of the British. As a result, emotions of the people died inside. I wrote a stage play in Dogri language 20 years ago under the title ‘Shah Shani’, which was highly appreciated by the viewers. Then its repeat performances were shown at various venues and every time audience well received the play. At some emotional moments they even cried as they thought this was their own story. When the production team offered me to direct a movie, I at once decided to work on the above-mentioned concept which is very much close to my heart.
Why did you choose Dogri language for the movie?
Ans: Because Dogri is a very sweet, very pure and very beautiful language. Moreover, it is my mother tongue and I love it from the core of my heart, I want to showcase the rich culture of Duggars, its art, cuisines, attire, sports, the innocence and all through this movie. Dogri language has a vast vocabulary enriched with couplets, idioms and phrases which sound good to hear.
Do you think Dogri cinema will succeed?
Ans: Why not? It is already successful and will succeed more. The important thing is how much love we shower on it. We all in unity will cooperate filmmakers and encourage them to make more and more Dogri cinema. Our soil is enriched with a lot of emotional stories, Chenab River is a witness to hundreds of love stories, our hilly areas are also a rich source of soulful concepts. The first Dogri feature film “Gallan Hoiyan Beetiyan” released in September 1966 has marked a historic milestone in Dogri cinema. After that too some good movies were made. Need is for new production houses. J.K. Cineplex has raised hopes and Dogri movie “Shah Shani” is its proof.
Which locations have you covered for the movie?
Ans: We have covered some beautiful
Locations of Jammu- We did a lot of work at Bhadrore village. Then we covered Nud village, Old Jammu city, Ranbir Higher Secondary School, Mahant Bachitter Singh College, Film City etc.
Do the artists performing in movie are local artists?
Ans: Yes, the movie consists of almost 60 artists and it is a matter of utmost satisfaction that all artists belong to Jammu division. It has seasoned artists as well as freshers. Auditions were held for new faces and all the artists shared much craze for the film. Senior artists Madan Rangila, Janak Khajuria, Santosh Sangra, Lalita Tapasvi, Kusum Tikoo, Sapna Soni, J.R. Sagar and Rajesh Raina even cooperated at various moments and encouraged me with their vast experience.
Do you think young generation is familiar with Dogri language and they will understand the essence of the regional film with a language they are not taught in schools and colleges?
Ans: Our movie is not a preachy nor does it has made experiments using complex words of the language. I am very much sure that viewers of every age group will enjoy the movie with its witty and easy to understand dialogues. I recall the incidents when young artists were humming the songs of the film like:
Aayie phera paa adeya
Ruki jaane saa adeya
Vijan tere pal chin
Jindadi bhee phaa adeya
or
Ae mitti
Sahdi maa mitti
Tugi tajiye bagaane desh chaleya
Similarly, they very much liked the Dogri words like ‘Huttan” “Rasaala”, “Chalobian”, “Ko-Kalaachi”, “Saloona”, “Jaani”, “Tarope” etc.
What are the challenges for regional film directors in Jammu?
Ans: The most important challenge is the budget problem. There is a dearth of corporate houses which will come forward for setting new film industry in Jammu. Our dogra artists are very talented but due to almost no work here, they have to move to other places for showing their talent. UT of Jammu and Kashmir is full of scenic beauty. Lush green areas, beautiful mountains and flowing rivers entice any viewer to stay here. Filmmakers should be encouraged to come here for shooting of their films so that local talent may get work otherwise they have to kill their passion and opt for other works. Script writers should also be encouraged and workshops should be conducted for the same.
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