SRINAGAR: Veteran theatre director and actor MK Raina made headlines at the Jaipur Literature Festival on Friday after walking out of a session following his strong remarks on the portrayal of Kashmir in Indian cinema.
Raina, who was promoting his memoir Before I Forget, was part of a discussion titled Memories from the Screen and Stage alongside singer and actor Ila Arun, who was promoting her memoir Parde Ke Peechhey. The session was moderated by Anjula Bedi.
During the conversation, Arun spoke about her latest play Peer Ghani, an adaptation of Henrik Ibsen’s Peer Gynt set in Kashmir. At this point, Raina, who hails from the region, voiced his frustration with how Kashmir is represented in films. “I see bad films about Kashmir, accusing it of all sorts of things. Lousy films… Kashmir is not being represented properly because filmmakers don’t truly understand it,” he said, expressing his discontent with the lack of accurate representation of the Valley in Indian cinema.
Raina’s comments set the tone for what would follow, shortly after his remarks, as Arun performed a scene from Peer Ghani, Raina abruptly left the session, leaving the audience puzzled. When informed of his departure, Arun responded with a reference to the 1980 film Albert Pinto Ko Gussa Kyoon Aata Hai, quipping, Albert Pinto ko gussa kyu aaya?”
The session continued without Raina, with moderator Asad Lalljee carrying on the discussion. Raina’s memoir Before I Forget delves into his personal and professional journey, reflecting on his experiences growing up in Kashmir. Arun’s book Parde Ke Peechhey explores her life both on and off the stage.
Raina, a National School of Drama graduate, is a celebrated figure in Indian theatre, with over 100 plays to his name and several prominent Bollywood film roles, including appearances in Aisha and Taare Zameen Par.
