Dehradun: At Manthan – Emerging Uttarakhand 2025 program, noted filmmaker Kunal Shamshere Malla delivered a compelling address during the panel discussion on the Film Industry and Economy, held at Hotel Hyatt Regency, Dehradun.
The program was inaugurated in the presence of the Chief Minister of Uttarakhand Pushkar Singh Dhami and Cabinet Minister Subodh Uniyal, and brought together thought leaders, artists, and policymakers to discuss Uttarakhand’s path to becoming a thriving hub for creativity, development, and entrepreneurship.
Speaking alongside prominent names from the film fraternity including Mukesh Tiwari, Vipul Mehta, and Arushi Nishank, Kunal Malla emphasized the urgent need to return to story-driven cinema.
“Story should be the king,” he asserted, addressing growing concerns around the lowering standards of content in mainstream cinema. “Unfortunately, when you go to the market, producers and distributors first ask who the star is, not what the story is. The budget doesn’t define a good film. The soul does,” he said.
Known for his deep commitment to regional storytelling, Malla shared his vision for Garhwali cinema, expressing hope that it would one day enjoy the same recognition as Tamil, Telugu, or Malayalam industries. “We need to revisit our roots, rediscover stories from our households, surroundings, and the people we interact with. I dream of the day when Bollywood copies movies made in Garhwal, not the other way around,” he added.
The session, moderated by Abhishek Maindola, brought together voices from across the film and media ecosystem to discuss policy support, training infrastructure, and the economic impact of cinema in Uttarakhand.
Kunal Shamshere Malla is a Dehradun-based actor, director, producer, educationist, and martial arts expert. He is the founder of Olympus High School and a member of the Uttarakhand State Audit Board. He made his acting debut at 40 and has since appeared in films like Say Yes to Love, Maazii, Dum Laga Ke Haisha, and international projects like Dev Bhoomi. A passionate artist, Kunal is also a singer, black belt in martial arts, and an advocate for regional cinema and culture. His upcoming feature film 5th September, which has already won over 40 awards internationally, is set to release soon. The film features a stellar cast including Sanjay Mishra, Atul Srivastava, Victor Banerjee, Kavin Dave, Sarika Singh Dave, Kiran Dubey, and Manini Mishra.
