CS Dulloo highlights film policy, skilling, single-window clearances and local talent as key enablers
SRINAGAR, SEPTEMBER 8: The second day of the first International Film Festival of Jammu & Kashmir (IFFJK-2026) witnessed a policy dialogue on building a sustainable cinematic ecosystem in the Union Territory, with Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo emphasising local talent, filmmaking skills, streamlined clearances and investment as key elements for the growth of the sector.
Participating in a panel discussion titled “How the J&K Film Policy, Single-Window Clearances, and Incentives Can Build a Sustainable Local Cinematic Ecosystem”, moderated by film critic and journalist Mayank Shekhar, Dulloo and Commissioner Secretary, Information Department, R. Alice Vaz, discussed government initiatives and proposed measures to provide further impetus to filmmaking and film tourism in J&K.
Dulloo said the people of J&K have a natural affinity with the creative world and recalled the region’s close association with the film industry during the 1970s and 1980s, when its landscapes and locations featured extensively in films.
He said IFFJK was conceived as a platform to renew those connections and channel the creative energies of local youth towards filmmaking and allied professions.
“People making efforts to realise their dreams is essential,” Dulloo observed, recalling former President Dr APJ Abdul Kalam’s words that “Dreams are those which don’t let you sleep.”
The Chief Secretary said the festival provided an opportunity to deliberate on J&K’s potential for the film industry and, more importantly, to develop a roadmap for sustaining the momentum beyond the festival.
He stressed that cinema is a collective endeavour involving professionals across a wide range of disciplines, beyond those appearing on screen.
Dulloo underlined the need to nurture local human resources and said the government was exploring avenues for providing scholarships to students interested in various aspects of filmmaking at reputed national institutions.
He also said partnerships with such institutions could facilitate specialised courses and training within J&K.
Highlighting the role of the Skill Development Mission, Dulloo said appropriate training opportunities could be created in local institutions in filmmaking and allied fields.
On facilitating film production, he emphasised the need to continuously remove procedural bottlenecks faced by filmmakers and production houses.
He said the Single Window Clearance System needed further strengthening and simplification, while the proposed Ease of Doing Business Bill was expected to bring further deregulation and create a smoother business environment for the industry.
Referring to Maharashtra’s culture of encouraging people to develop their own stories, Dulloo said similar efforts could help identify and nurture storytelling talent in J&K.
“We have numerous stories here. What is required is to hone and chisel this talent and present these stories in the right form and style,” he said.
Commissioner Secretary, Information, R. Alice Vaz, outlined the incentives available under the J&K Film Policy for film shootings in the Union Territory and additional benefits extended to regional filmmakers and productions with significant local participation.
She said the policy was aimed not only at attracting external productions but also at encouraging local filmmakers, artists and creative talent.
Vaz highlighted incentives for films having more than 50 per cent of their shooting in J&K, along with provisions encouraging engagement of local artists and other personnel.
She said the policy interventions were intended to create a cycle in which increased filmmaking activity generates employment and opportunities for local talent while showcasing J&K’s landscapes, heritage and cultural richness to wider audiences.
She also underlined the linkage between filmmaking and tourism, saying greater cinematic visibility could help promote destinations and generate economic activity for local communities.
The panel brought together policy, regulatory, educational, creative and economic perspectives on J&K’s emerging film ecosystem, with participants stressing the need to move beyond facilitating individual film shoots towards building an ecosystem capable of nurturing local talent and attracting national and international productions.
Diverse Day-2 sessions
The second day of IFFJK-2026 also featured a range of creative, technical and policy-oriented sessions at SKICC Srinagar.
Filmmaker Sriram Raghavan conducted a masterclass on directing romantic comedies, while an In-Conversation session with cinematographer Anil Mehta explored the role of framing, lighting and other visual elements in creating narrative subtext beyond written dialogue.
Four panel discussions further expanded the festival’s engagement with contemporary cinema and its evolving ecosystem.
In Hall 2, a panel moderated by Dhwani Desai explored the convergence of traditional regional art forms with animation, Artificial Intelligence and CGI, and the possibilities of creating new authorial voices through emerging technologies. The panel featured Sanat P. C., Ujjwal Nirgudkar, Hetal Soliya, Jitin Masand, Bharath Laxmipati, Jividha Sharma and Kanika Gautam.
Hall 3 hosted a festival selection roundtable moderated by Sourav Kanti Datta, with C. S. Venkateshwaran, Siladitya Sen, Nirmal Dhar and Reema Borah discussing the changing landscape of independent cinema, curation and access.
The day concluded with an acting-focused panel moderated by Mandar Bam, featuring Sulakhyana Barua, Rahul Bhatt and Ashoke Viswanathan. The panel discussed the creative demands, preparation and collaborative processes involved in developing memorable characters for the screen.
The Day-2 proceedings reinforced IFFJK-2026’s broader vision of bringing cinema, policy, technology, education, creative talent and tourism together while creating avenues for J&K’s greater participation in the national and global cinematic landscape.
