Watch Ashoke's film - And the world remained silent - Part 1
                                  And the world remained silent - Part 2

Ashoke Pandit- Filmmaker & social activist's name is synonymous with the struggle of displaced Hindus of Kashmir. For last 18 years, he has been working for the cause of his community by creating platforms to showcase and discuss the situation in Kashmir, nationally and internationally. He took the mantle of the cause to coveted platforms like Human Rights Violation Conferences in Geneva, House of Commons in London, and has met with Shri. Abul Kalam Azad- Ex- President of India regarding Kashmir issue. His efforts compounded by the efforts of other mainstream activist did force the offices of power to take cognizance of this issue. He strived hard to persuade the then Maharashtra Government in India to reserve seats for displaced Kashmiri students in professional colleges of Maharashtra, which give a major impetus to the students who were toiling hard to get admissions after the exodus.  Besides being a man of opinions and actions Mr. Ashoke Pandit by profession is a Film & Television Producer-Director. He has given milestone sitcoms and soaps to the Indian television. His comedy sitcoms have always been a runaway success with the audience. In all Ashoke has produced and directed around 11 television shows. On a tour of the USA, while in Boston area where he participated in a conference on Kashmir as a panelist discussing and exploring the relationship between religion and Kashmiri tangle, our correspondent met with him for an interview for our readers.

What was your path to becoming a filmmaker?

I was born and brought up in Mumbai but my family originally hails from Kashmir from a village called Murran in Pulwama District. During my college years, I got involved in the extra curricular activities and started acting in plays. Got many awards at the intercollegiate competitions and inter universities festival. When I finished my Master’s in commerce, I started directing plays and was many times judged as the best director in these competitions. I got scholarship to study theatre with Indian Peoples Theatre Association and got to work with stalwarts like M.S. Sathyu, Ramesh Talwar, Raman Kumar, Shabana Azmi, Sudhir Pandey and many more. While I was doing my theatre, I got an offer to work as an assistant director to Raman Kumar for a film called “Saath Saath” with Farookh Shaikh and Deepti Naval in the lead. I then followed on to work as an associate director to Kundan Shah, Aziz Mirza, Saeed Mirza, Sudhir Mishra and Manjul Sinha for a serial called “Nukkad,” which was one of the finest sitcoms of India. I also was an associate director for a serial called “Yeh Jo Hai Zindagi,” which shook the nation as one of the first sponsored hit sitcoms on Indian Television. My first Independent Directorial Venture was a serial called "Filmi Chakkar" with Satish Shah and Ratna Pathak Shah, which also was a runaway success on Zee T.V. This was followed by 'Tere Mere Sapne' with Aruna Irani, Mungeri Ke Bhai Naurangilal with Rajpal Yadav, and Muqqakamal with Deepti Naval and Irfan Khan.

What do you consider as your best work so far?

My documentary “And the World Remained Silent” bagged the most prestigious R.A.P.A award and was the Inaugural film at the International film festival in Goa. My documentary “Paani” on the Mumbai floods won many accolades at various festivals in India. Then came my first feature film 'Sheen' which was based on the exodus of Kashmiri Hindus from Kashmir. Presently, I am working on two feature films and a documentary.
 
Being a successful director, how did you decide to make the documentary “And the World Remained Silent” using your own resources and you went out into the street at a dangerous time to record the event?

When the exodus of Kashmiri Hindu community was happening I was in Kashmir and everything happened in front of me, the blaring from the mosques asking us to leave the valley, those threatening letters posted on Hindu homes, those rapes of Hindu women, and those murders. The total atmosphere created was unbelievable. It was a total anarchy, I had my camera with me and I went out on the streets to shoot not thinking at all what I am doing. One had only seen such visuals in Hollywood films. What was happening in Kashmir at that time was an extraordinary experience to me. Afterwards, I got busy working in Jammu in the refugee camps. As things started to settle down and I returned to Mumbai and I thought it was very important for me to tell the world about this greatest human tragedy of our time. It was a time when other filmmakers who normally react on similar issues kept mum. Therefore as a filmmaker I had to react and my ammunition was not AK-47 but my camera and this gave birth to "And the world remained Silent'.

How did you use this documentary to create public awareness?

This film has been shown in almost all the film festivals. Most satellite channels and cable channels in India have picked it. We made sure through our representatives that this film is shown at most seminars and conferences on Kashmir. It has most significance especially when you talk about human rights violations in Kashmir.
 
What is his view of the future of Kashmir?

I find the future of Kashmir very bleak. And I believe that if the future of Kashmir is bleak then the future of India is also bleak. It is been over 60 years since we have achieved our Independence from the British. On last 15th of August, when our Prime Minister addresses the nation from the Red Fort, a bulletproof glass covered him. There is maximum security on the streets patrolling in various parts of the country. Which gives us the feeling of insecurity and therefore the entire garb of freedom is a very big farce. Feels like we are still slaves. Some foreign powers indirectly control the reigns of India. Bomb blasts have become a regular feature in India. 200 people died in 5 minutes when blasts occurred in Mumbai on 7/11. Nowhere in the world 12 blasts have occurred in the period of 5 minutes, this actually happened in Mumbai. Assam is burning, south has a problem, entire country is engulfed with terrorist activities. What can be a future of a country where people are trying to save a terrorist Mohd. Afzal who had attacked the Parliament? What can be a future of a country where people accept a terrorist called Yasin Malik as an equivalent of Gandhi? What can be future of a country, which always kneels down in front of the terrorists every now and then, latest being Amarnath issue? What can be a future of the country where the entire political system is impotent doesn’t have the will to stand up. And governments are based on horse-trading. I continue to believe that Kashmir being an integral part of India has the same future as that of India.

What do you feel is the present situation in Kashmir?

The present situation in Kashmir is that terrorists rule the state, because people like Mufti Mohd. Sayeed and his daughter Mehbooba are supporters of terrorists.
 
What do you think of the current situation in Central government and how would it play out?

Politicians in India are busy saving their chairs, communists have their own agendas as they work on tips from China, Congress party is trying desperately to satisfy some foreign powers with vested interest in India, B.J.P doesn’t know whom to satisfy that’s why you find them a confused lot. Every one pulling the sari of Bharat Mata towards them and the situation of Bharat Mata is similar to that of Draupadi. I hope and believe Lord Krishna will come again in some form at the present time to save this great country.
 
 

Singer Neerja Pandit who is an acclaimed playback singer in the Hindi film music world with many albums to her credit is currently on a tour of the USA and Canada being organized by Kashmiri Overseas Association members. She was in Boston area recently where our correspondent met with her for an interview for our readers. Neerja Pandit is the winner of coveted Rapa Awards for her title songs in “Sarhad” and “Tere Mere Sapne.” She has also sung several title numbers for various soaps and sitcoms like Mukkammal, Gul Gulshan Gulfam, Shapath, Noorjehan, Filmi Chakkar, Nageen and many more. Her voice has been associated with respected film banners and music directors. She has sung under the guidance of maestro music directors like Nadeem Shravan, M.M. Kreem, Roop Kumar Rathod, Shamir Tandon and so on. She has sung for films like Yeh Dil, Indian Babu, Sheen and Traffic Signal.

How did your interest in singing develop?

I was born and brought up in Kashmir and hail from Saffron village called Pampore. A very well known poetess of Kashmir, Laladed by name also belonged to this village. My entire family including my mother and sisters were very good folk singers and I picked up my singing from them. They unfortunately did not continue with their talent but I did. As a child I used to accompany my father who used to go to Hari Parbat temple of Goddess Sharika every Saturday and stay there for the night, where bhajans used to be sung for the entire night by the folk singers. I used to enjoy being awake all night and sing with them. I believe that the blessings of the Goddess have worked and my singing is still alive.

Being a homemaker, how you manage to pursue a successful singing career?

To manage my home front and my profession has not been difficult for me. Fortunately for me my husband Ashoke Pandit belongs to the same fraternity and understands the industry very well, all along he has provided me his full support. At my home everyone is very supportive including my mother-in-law who is more than my real mother and a spiritual guru. It’s her blessings that are keeping me going strong.

Could you describe your training?

I have master’s degree in Music from Chandigarh University. Initially, I started learning music from Pandit Shambhunath Sopori and then continued with Pandit Bhajan Sopori, a well known Santoor Player and music composer. After coming to Mumbai, I started learning the technique of playback singing from Shambhu Sen and Ustad Ghulam Mustafa Khan. At present I continue to learn vocal and classical music from Pandit Dhruba Ghosh who is also a well-known Sarangi Player.

What do you see as your major accomplishments?

My accomplishments include the coveted Rapa Award for my title songs in “Sarhad” and “Tere Mere Sapne.” My voice has been associated with respected film banners and music directors. I have sung under the guidance of maestro music directors like Nadeem Shravan, M.M. Kreem, Roop Kumar Rathod, Shamir Tandon, Jatin Lalit, Dilip Sen, Sameer Sen and Lalit Sen. I have sung for films like Yeh Dil, Indian Babu, Sheen, and Traffic Signal.

Why do you put so much on emphasis on Kashmiri folk music?

My association with the Kashmiri folk music is an attempt to keep the beauty of the valley alive through my music. My albums have always been chartbusters. I have made successful albums like Chashme bu Wondai, Yaadvotur, Patram Pushpam and the very recent Kashmiri Club Mix – an attempt to acquaint the new generation with the folklore of Kashmir. To continue with my musical series of nostalgia and the longing for the valley my most recent Kashmiri folk album is called Sangarmaal.

What can you tell us about your remarkable pious melodic endeavors?

Coming from a spiritual background, my alliance with devotional albums is not surprising. Albums like the “Durga Kavach” with Gundecha Brothers, “Sant Sarovar” with Udit Narayan, Suresh Wadkar & Mohd. Aziz, and “Shabd” (Guru Teg Bahadur Boliya) have been remarkable pious melodic endeavors of mine. I have recently completed a Hindi Sufi album. It is a musical compilation of all the poetries and the works of Sufi saints done over centuries. My son Raj Pandit who is a musical prodigy in his own right has rendered music for this album.

Where have you been performing?

I have also toured U.S.A, U.K. Mauritius, Canada, performing shows singing Gazals, film songs, Kashmiri folk, and Sufi numbers. My most outstanding shows have been in Mauritius, U.K. & U.S.A and all around the India.

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