Vedang Raina on Returning to His Kashmiri Roots: ‘Kashmir Deserves a Lot More Connection to Cinema’

Srinagar: Actor Vedang Raina has spoken candidly about his connection with Kashmir and the importance of strengthening the relationship between the Valley and Indian cinema.

Speaking at the recently held International Film Festival of Jammu & Kashmir (IFFJK), Raina said returning to Srinagar gives him a strong feeling of coming home. The actor appeared on a panel alongside filmmaker Imtiaz Ali and actor Sharvari to discuss their film Main Vaapas Aaunga.

‘Srinagar will always be home’

Raina revealed that his latest visit was only his second trip to Kashmir, with his previous visit having been with his family.

He said the experience of returning to the Valley has become deeply personal because his family originally comes from Rainawari, Srinagar.

“Kashmir will always be home. Srinagar will always be home. I am from Raina Wari. My family is from Raina Wari,” Raina said.

The actor added that every visit leaves him happy and gives him a sense of belonging that he finds difficult to put into words.

His Kashmir connection runs through family stories

Raina has previously spoken about hearing stories of Kashmir from his parents and grandparents and discovering the places associated with his family's past.

In an earlier interview, he said visiting Kashmir allowed him to see places where his parents and grandparents had lived and spent time. He described the experience as almost “storybook”-like and said he was surprised to see the places he had heard about while growing up.

The actor has also identified himself as a Kashmiri Pandit and expressed interest in reconnecting more deeply with the culture, including learning the Kashmiri language.

‘Our generation has never seen a partition’

Raina's comments were particularly connected to Main Vaapas Aaunga, a film set against the backdrop of Partition and displacement.

Reflecting on the film's themes, he said his generation had not experienced Partition firsthand and that he had not been able to see as much of Kashmir as he would have liked.

He drew a parallel between the film's story and his own emotional relationship with his family's homeland, saying his return to Kashmir felt similar to the emotion expressed in the film's title — Main Vaapas Aaunga, or “I will come back.”

Why Kashmir's connection with cinema matters

Raina's remarks come at a significant moment for the region's film culture.

Kashmir was once one of Hindi cinema's most popular filming destinations, with its landscapes featuring prominently in films. However, the rise of militancy in the late 1980s disrupted both film production and the region's movie-going culture. Cinema halls shut down and filmmakers largely moved away from the Valley.

In recent years, efforts have been made to revive cinema in Jammu and Kashmir, including the reopening of theatres and the development of new film-related initiatives.

The International Film Festival of Jammu & Kashmir is part of that renewed effort. The festival has brought filmmakers, actors, writers and technicians to the region while also encouraging greater participation from local storytellers.

From cinematic backdrop to storyteller

The renewed focus is also about moving beyond the traditional image of Kashmir as simply a beautiful backdrop for Hindi films.

Filmmakers and festival participants have argued that local people should have greater opportunities to tell their own stories, develop filmmaking skills and participate in the region's growing cinema ecosystem.

For Raina, that connection is especially personal. His own family history is tied to Srinagar, while Main Vaapas Aaunga has given him an opportunity to explore themes of displacement, memory and returning home.

His appearance at IFFJK therefore carried significance beyond a promotional event — it connected a young actor's personal roots with Kashmir's attempt to rebuild a stronger relationship with cinema.