Romaish Pandita’s Dugh Chei Kunie highlights shared suffering of Pandits ,Muslims
Srinagar: Kashmiri Pandit filmmaker Romaish Pandita, originally from Sopore in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district, has produced a film titled Dugh Chei Kunie (Pain is the Same), portraying the shared suffering of Kashmiris during the decades-long conflict.
Pandita’s family migrated from the Kashmir Valley during the peak of militancy in the 1990s and is now settled in Chandigarh. Despite living away from his homeland for decades, he says his connection with Kashmir remains deeply rooted, inspiring him to tell a story of pain, hope, and reconciliation.
Speaking to Rising Kashmir, Pandita said the film was shot in different parts of the Kashmir Valley and focuses on the emotional trauma experienced by both Kashmiri Pandits and Kashmiri Muslims.
“The central message of the film is that pain has no religion. The suffering of a Kashmiri Pandit is the same as that of a Kashmiri Muslim, whether they live on this side of the Banihal Tunnel or the other. Kashmiri Pandits are incomplete without Kashmiri Muslims, and Kashmiri Muslims are incomplete without Kashmiri Pandits,” he said.
Explaining another important dialogue from the film, Pandita said the Valley cannot truly reclaim its centuries-old Rishi-Sufi tradition until the displaced Kashmiri Pandit community returns to its homeland.
“Kashmir is incomplete without the return of Kashmiri Pandits. Only when they return can the true spirit of Kashmiriyat and the Rishi tradition be restored,” he said.
Pandita also expressed optimism over the increasing number of Kashmiri Pandits visiting the Valley in recent years. He said that large numbers of devotees have visited the historic temple at Mattan in Anantnag, participated in the annual Kheer Bhawani Mela in Ganderbal, and recently visited the Abhinavagupta Cave at Beerwah in Budgam district.
“This was the first time in decades that such a large number of Kashmiri Pandits visited the Abhinavagupta Cave at Beerwah. It gives hope that those who left the Valley nearly 36 years ago are gradually reconnecting with their roots,” he said.
Pandita also thanked the residents of Beerwah for warmly welcoming the visiting Kashmiri Pandits.
“I am grateful to the people of Beerwah for their hospitality and support. Their warm welcome reflects the spirit of brotherhood and strengthens hope for lasting peace and reconciliation in Kashmir,” he added.
Through this movie, Pandita seeks to promote a message of communal harmony, shared suffering, and the hope of rebuilding bonds between communities that once lived together in the Valley.
