A film shot against the backdrop of Kashmir has won national recognition, with Obur receiving the Best Script Award at the 72nd National Film Awards held at Ekta Nagar in Gujarat on Tuesday.
Direct and screenwriter Faraz Ali was honoured with the award for Obur, a bilingual Hindi-Kashmiri short film that brings together regional storytelling traditions and explores themes rooted in the social and emotional realities of Kashmir.
The film was shot in the Doodhpathri area and several downtown locations of Srinagar. Ali, who hails from Lucknow, travelled to Kashmir to shoot the film.
Obur (2024), directed by Faraz Ali, follows a teenage horse guide who sets out in search of a lost digital memory. The story has been written by Shahnawaz Bhat and Faraz Ali.
The film’s bilingual narrative combines Hindi and Kashmiri, with the screenplay drawing attention for its treatment of language, cultural authenticity and regional setting.
Writing a screenplay across two languages presented creative and structural challenges, with the filmmakers seeking to retain the distinctiveness of Kashmiri storytelling while maintaining a cohesive cinematic narrative.
The National Film Award recognition for Obur also brings the spotlight on Kashmir as a setting for contemporary cinema and highlights the contribution of regional stories and voices to Indian filmmaking.
The National Film Awards are among India’s highest honours in cinema and recognise excellence across filmmaking, screenwriting, acting and technical categories in different languages and regions.
