KI: How do you find the hospitality and warmth of people in Kashmir?
AN: I am really happy and thankful to people for their warmth and cooperation. It was in our first visit itself that me and my wife had realised how priceless the hospitality of Kashmir is. People here are very large hearted and when people are so full of love and welcoming,then every experience whether personal or professional becomes all the more memorable. Right from a Shikara wala to the people in the hospitality business, people provide you with so much love and warmth that one is amazed.
In just two visits to Kashmir in the last one year, singer and TV host Aditya Narayan has become deeply enthusiastic about the Valley and its people. Aditya, who is in Kashmir presently to shoot for a music video album, in an exclusive interview with Senior Editor Saqib Malik says he wants to undertake more video shoots in the Valley for promoting destination Kashmir.
Kashmir Ink: This is your second visit to Kashmir. What are the key takeaways from your visits?
Aditya Narayan: It is simply heaven on earth and is rightly named. The first time I visited here was for my honeymoon and it was then and there that both me and my wife fell in love with this place. At that point in time we decided that whenever we get an opportunity we will shoot music videos or any other productions here. However, because of the two Covid waves our plans got delayed but as they say ‘dair aye durust aaye’.. we are here in Kashmir to shoot for four music videos. My father Udit Narayan will also be visiting Kashmir in the next few days for a 3-day visit.
KI: What is that one thing that you find is the unique selling point of Kashmir?
AN: While I have been mesmerised by the beauty of Kashmir, I have a deep respect for its people and their simplicity. The way people welcome you with love and compassion to this place is something unique to Kashmir. Of course the food one gets to eat here is out of the world, especially if you are a non-vegetarian lover and fond of mutton. More than the lovely food and scenic locales, what makes Kashmir most beautiful is the people. Kashmir is so beautiful that when we came to shoot here we were puzzled which place to finalise for our shoots. We are going to more locations and visiting Kashmir to shoot for more albums in days to come.
KI: Life in Mumbai is fast paced, so once you are in Kashmir, how good a breather is it?
AN: It always amazes me that our country is so diverse. On one hand you have a city like Mumbai with so much of hustle and bustle and fast paced life while on the other hand there is a place such as Kashmir where beauty and bounty of nature is in abundance. All these gifts of the Valley and this tranquility are always a welcome change. I feel thrilled that the environs here are so refreshing and full of natural beauty. I am a nature lover and fond of trees and mountains. This visit to Kashmir is also special in the sense that it has given me such a relief from the heat wave we are witnessing in Mumbai currently. One moment I was in the sweltering heat of Mumbai and soon got to reach Kashmir within a flight time of 2.5 hours. But the transition and change one feels is priceless. I feel as if I am getting to breathe fresh air after ages.
KI: What is your message for the rest of Bollywood with respect to Kashmir?
AN: To be honest, when I was visiting Kashmir for the first time for my honeymoon, I was apprehensive as we used to hear a lot of negative things in the news and media. This has formed a preconceived notion about safety and security. Initially we had felt that Kashmir is not safe but the moment we landed here, all our misconceptions got cleared. Kashmir is one of the nicest places to visit in the country and the tourist facilities are also quite good. One of the reasons I have opted to shoot the music videos here is that I want to convey a message to the rest of Bollywood that this place is ideal for film shootings. While this place is beautiful and heaven on earth, there is a need that the negative preconceived among people across the country and film industry in particular must be done away with. I would urge people from all the states and across the world to more and more.
KI: Tell us something more about your music videos that you are shooting here?
AN: This is my debut album that we are shooting here and it was in 2019 that I launched my own music label just to promote my independent music. I sing for films and other projects but as an artiste I felt that this time is opportune to have to have your own music label and promote your own brand. The title track we are shooting at the Shalimar Garden today is called ‘ Sansain’ and both the crew and the cast are enjoying shooting here. There are other music videos as well but I may not be able to disclose about all of them at the moment. As and when we shoot these songs we will inform you more and more. I feel I am lucky to get a chance to shoot my debut album in Kashmir.