Soni Razdan hopes films bridge misconceptions about the valley

In the past year, Soni Razdan has shot for a few web projects and is enjoying this phase of her career. “When I shot last year, there was no Delta variant or a vaccine. I was scared and had planned to gargle post pack up and every time I took a break as a precaution and also do other things for better immunity, but maine kuch nahin kiya (laughs). Though on the sets, we followed all protocols and regulations with regards to sanitization, so it was all taken care of. Funnily, I forgot about all else when I was shooting as I was focused on the job,” she shares.

Razdan shot for a music video in Kashmir and admits that it was an emotional experience for her. “I didn’t expect such feelings even though I have never lived in Kashmir. I don’t know where it came from. And I was taken aback to feel so much as I am a Kashmiri Pandit but I have not lost my home in Kashmir. I don’t have a direct link to that kind of loss or pain yet loss is a part of our lives in some form of the other. But the fear of losing our homes or displacement is universal. All of us fear losing our houses to an earthquake or any calamity,” she says.

With most locations abroad unavailable for shoot, a number of filmmakers turning to Kashmir for shoots which pleases the senior actor. She shares, “What has happened in Kashmir in all these years is a tragedy, for everyone, not just Kashmiris. It is lovely to see more and more filmmakers opt to shoot in Kashmir. We need to bond more as a country together. There is so much beauty in that place and the people over there are just wonderful and gentle. The new generation of young filmmakers have some bright ideas. It would be wonderful if we can shoot more often over there and even generally have a better connection with the people of Kashmir.”

She is quite outspoken on social media and has touched upon many sensitive subjects. Talking about her views on it, she says, “Social media is a doubled-edged sword. I don’t take it seriously anymore. I do air my views as a social exercise but somewhere down the line, Twitter became poisonous. There is no point in getting sucked into all of it, so I am selective now. Moreover, you also wonder who is listening?” she signs off.