Srinagar, Sept 9: Veteran filmmaker and actor Akbar Khan on Wednesday called for greater responsibility in filmmaking, urging the industry to use cinema to promote love, harmony and mutual understanding instead of hatred and division.
Speaking on the sidelines of the International Film Festival Jammu & Kashmir in Srinagar, Khan praised Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and the organisers for the festival's opening and said cinema had the power to build bridges between nations and civilisations.
"Cinema is the most powerful medium that makes bridges between nations and civilisations," Khan said, stressing that films could take stories and cultures across borders and foster greater understanding.
He said film festivals should provide platforms where films are evaluated on cinematic merit without prejudice or ideological considerations.
Khan expressed concern over films and historical projects that, he said, distort history or promote hatred between religious communities. While acknowledging filmmakers' right to express their ideas, he urged them not to misuse cinema to create social divisions.
"We have to spread love through cinema. We have to give entertainment through cinema — meaningful entertainment," he said.
Khan also called for discouraging films that promote hatred or serve as propaganda, saying cinema should contribute to harmony and nation-building.
He expressed confidence that the Srinagar film festival would grow into a major international cinematic event, with Kashmir's scenic beauty and cultural heritage attracting filmmakers from across the world.
Referring to his own historical projects, including The Sword of Tipu Sultan and Akbar the Great, Khan said they were intended to promote communal harmony and nation-building.
He also expressed his desire to bring Taj Mahal: An Eternal Love Story to Kashmir for its premiere, describing the Taj Mahal as a universal symbol of love.
