Imtiaz Ali says Kashmir is the source of inspiration for films
Story by ATV | Posted by Aasha Khosa | Date 25-07-2026
Filmmaker Imtiaz Ali speaking to youth in Srinagar
Srinagar
To a filmmaker, Kashmir is not just a place of natural beauty; it's about emotions, memories and creative attachment. Renowned filmmaker and director Imtiaz Ali says Kashmir has always inspired him and he sees the place for its people, culture, spirituality and human relationships.
Ali, the maker of Rockstar and Mein Wapas Auonga, is presently attending th the J&K International Film Festival in Srinagar and was earlier at the Chinar Book Festival in Srinagar.
During a conversation with Amit Wancho, organiser of the Chinar Book Festival, Imtiaz Ali spoke about his experiences of cinema, storytelling and filming in Kashmir, he said that Kashmir has had a profound impact on his personality and creative thinking and the role of this region has always been prominent in his film life.
Acclaimed filmmaker Imtiaz Ali captivated audiences at the 3rd Chinar Book Festival with an inspiring conversation on storytelling, spirituality and cinema.
In conversation with Dr. Amit Wanchoo, he shared the inspiration behind Kun Faya Kun, reflecting on the influences of the… pic.twitter.com/z6cuP5rC6W
— National Book Trust, India (@nbt_india) July 24, 2026
In a session with the youth, Imtiaz Ali advised them to hone their creative skills, believe in their dreams and work hard towards their goals. He urged the youth to bring the stories of their land to the world themselves because only the natives can tell their stories in the best way.
Imtiaz Ali said that Kashmir is not just a beautiful shooting location for him but a region whose culture, people and spirituality have influenced both his personality and art. He said that when he shot "Rockstar" in Kashmir, he got to know the Kashmiri society closely.
Opening up about his childhood, Imtiaz Ali said that his father used to encourage him to travel by train alone at a young age. His father believed that India's trains were a moving family where people took care of each other.
Imtiaz Ali said that during these journeys, he met different people, from different cultures and ideas. This all developed his ability to observe and tell stories. He said that despite having limited money during his travels, he bought the Bhagavad Gita because its cover impressed him immensely.
#WATCH | Srinagar, J&K | On International Film Festival of Jammu & Kashmir (IFFJK) 2026, Film Director Imtiaz Ali says, "... I would encourage people from Kashmir to participate in filmmaking because it can become a symbiotic relationship... It is also extremely important for… pic.twitter.com/cEKsjx73mp
He said that when he started reading this book, he felt that he had heard many of the ideas expressed in it before in various mystical texts and spiritual traditions. According to him, this study proved to be an important turning point in his intellectual journey.
Imtiaz Ali also revealed the background of the popular song "Kin Fiqon" from his famous film "Rockstar". He said that the lyrics of this song are inspired by various spiritual traditions, which reflect the thoughts of the Vedas, the Holy Quran and various Sufi saints. The song originated from an ancient concept related to the creation of the universe, which deeply influenced him during his student days.
He said that when he reached the shrine of Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya to shoot this song, he was not allowed to use many modern filming equipment.
He changed his plan and shot the song sequence with Ranbir Kapoor with limited resources. Even to his surprise, this song turned out to be the most popular song of his film career.
According to him, this experience taught him that sometimes what a person considers a failure, becomes his biggest success.
In response to a question, Imtiaz Ali said that if a beautiful scene does not match the story of the film, he does not include it in the film. He said that although sometimes such scenes are very impressive, the flow and balance of the story are more important than anything else.
According to him, every scene of the film should advance the story; just being beautiful is not enough. Kashmir should be represented truthfully.
A student requested Imtiaz Ali to include the Kashmir conflict and the feelings of the Kashmiri people in films in the future. To this, Imtiaz Ali said that it is not possible to present any conflict completely in a single film. He said that his principle is that the truth of the people and place should be presented honestly in every film.
Imtiaz Ali asked young Kashmiris not to just expect from others but to make their own films, write books, take pictures and present their identity to the world. He said that if Kashmiris tell their own stories, the world will understand them better. According to him, self-reliance is the only way forward.
Imtiaz Ali said that today's young generation wants to live a more conscious, sensitive and purposeful life than the previous generations.
According to him, this change is very welcome for the society because the new generation does not consider a good job or a high salary as success, but they want to do something that will benefit the society and humanity.
During this period most people were engaged in the struggle for survival, but today's youth have moved beyond this stage and are looking for a greater purpose in life.
He said that the young generation has developed more awareness about environmental protection, social responsibility and human values than before. Imtiaz Ali said that the new generation is adopting environment-friendly lifestyle to a large extent.
Giving an example, he said that today's youth avoid throwing garbage on the streets, try to avoid unnecessary use of plastic and consider it their responsibility to protect the natural environment. The youth are encouraging the older generation to be more responsible towards the environment.
He said that the increasing independence of women in the society and their effective presence in creative fields is also a positive change. Although full equality is not yet achieved, the situation is gradually improving and the younger generation is driving this change further.
Addressing the youth who want to enter into film making, story writing and other creative fields, Imtiaz Ali said that people should enter a field with full self-belief and confidence.
Speaking about films, Imtiaz Ali said that creative life is not easy and there is no permanent path or safe future in the film world. Here for every new project one has to start again and after every success one has to prove oneself again. There is no guarenteed salary and no fixed path of career growth. "An artist has to make his own identity through his hard work, ability and new work."
Imtiaz Ali advised the youth that if they enter this field of their own free will, then don't blame others when difficulties arise but have faith in your own hard work and ability. According to him, success in the creative field is achieved by those who are constantly learning and are not afraid of failure.
Imtiaz Ali said that initially he used to get lost in the world of dreams and ideas while sitting in the classroom as a child. He considered these ideas as his entertainment and gradually these ideas turned into stories. He said that the most important thing for a filmmaker or a storyteller is constant curiosity and imagination. If the desire to discover new things is alive within the human being, then the stories are born automatically.
At the end of the interaction, a student asked whether great art is born only from pain and suffering, Imtiaz Ali said that if only pain created great art, then every suffering person in the world would become a great artist, while the reality is the opposite.
According to him, what makes an artist great is his sensitivity, truth, dedication and honest expression of his emotions. He said that a person does not need to deliberately seek pain because in life, happiness, sadness, separation, love, memories and failures all come automatically. The real importance is that the artist should honestly transfer his true state into his creation.
At the end of his talk, Imtiaz Ali once again addressed the youth and said that they should not wait for others to bring their identity, their culture and their experiences to the world. He said that if the new generation of Kashmir makes films, writes books, creates music and tells the stories of their land themselves, the world will be able to know Kashmir better and more authentically.
He said that self-confidence, continuous hard work and self-reliance are the only path to success, and he is confident that the youth of Kashmir will establish their own identity on the global stage through their creative talents in the future.
During this time, he understood the different cultures of Kashmiri Muslims, Kashmiri Pandits, urban life in Srinagar, and rural areas. According to him, each region has its own unique identity, and exploring these cultures during filmmaking is like discovering a new world for him.
Asked about the reason behind spirituality as a theme in his films, Imtiaz Ali said that his was inspired by the atmosphere ofat his home when he was a child. He said that during his childhood, it was customary to listen to Qawwalis, Bhajans, Sufi hymns and the teachings of elders in his home. This is why spirituality naturally became part of his personality.
He said that even school prayers contain deep spiritual messages, which a person understands better as he grows older. According to him, Indian civilisation is made up of different religions and spiritual traditions, and this atmosphere influenced his thinking and his films.
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