Filmmaker and Kashmiri Pandit advocate Ashok Pandit has gone all out in endorsing ‘Batt Kocch’, a poignant Kashmiri film that chooses art as its weapon to narrate the community’s harrowing past.
Posting an emotional video on Instagram, Pandit called it an emotion-packed powerhouse that tugs at heartstrings. The caption read: ‘It binds viewers completely, provokes thought, and imparts a deep message.’
He recounted the 1990 atrocities—exodus, genocide, ethnic cleansing—that uprooted Kashmiri Pandits. The film’s title ‘Batt Kocch’ nods to their traditional lanes, showing younger generations reconnecting with heritage amid trauma via ancestral tales.
Directors Siddharth Kaul and Ankit Wali stood out for channeling pain into creativity. ‘Rather than guns or wrong turns, they picked art to voice our suffering. Releasing a film today is heroic,’ Pandit emphasized.
Vinayak’s producer grit shone through despite funding hurdles. Pandit applauded actors like M.K. Raina, Kusum Dhar, Anil Kaul Chingari, Kusum Tickoo, Sakshi Bhatt, Shrime Bhatt, and Dilip Pandita for authentic performances.
Saurabh Jha’s folk-inspired score captures Pandit sentiments flawlessly, complemented by top-notch cinematography, Akanksha Jha’s editing, costumes, and post-production.
‘Hearty best wishes to the team. May you win every regional award. It evoked valley nostalgia, blending humanity with lasting impact from this modest Kashmiri production,’ he posted. Labeling it a landmark for Kashmiri Pandits, Pandit reminisced about the directors’ script visit, their eyes burning with sincerity.