An indie filmmaker seeks to challenge Bollywood narrative on Kashmir

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy When he was not even big enough to understand the term “collateral damage”, Arfat Sheikh’s father became that in Kashmir. open image in gallery Arfat Sheikh’s film ‘Saffron Kingdom’ is an attempt at reclaiming the history and narrative of Kashmiri people This realisation, the filmmaker says, made him feel an urgency to reclaim his heritage and give voice to his silenced people. The film is also competing at the Chicago Filmmakers Awards 2025. open image in gallery Behind the camera during a ‘Saffron Kingdom’ shoot After Kashmiri rebels launched an insurgency against Indian rule in 1989, and New Delhi responded with a sweeping military crackdown, the Himalayan region was plunged into a prolonged conflict that left an estimated 100,000 people dead and many thousands consumed by “forced disappearance”. “They are erasing our history.” Sheikh tells The Independent he chose actors for his film whose personal stories could enable them to resonate with the story of Kashmir.