M. Amin Bhatt

The indignities, cruelties and misshapen moral values wrought by nearly 20 years of armed conflict also surface in the work of local playwright M. Amin Bhatt.

His dramas examine the pernicious effects of government-issued identification cards, the moral dilemmas facing the state security forces and the politics of power. He insists on writing in the Kashmiri language, which "is a very important dimension of our identity. It's a very rich language. It has a tradition of centuries, particularly of poetry," Bhatt said.

He tries to push the envelope in his plays but admits to holding back somewhat, worried about censorship or some kind of backlash from the powers that be.

"Whenever you are objective and honest in your analysis, you must offend somebody," Bhatt said. "If you don't offend, then you should understand you have not been that honest."

The arts, he said, ought to hold up a mirror to society.

The artistic direction will be in the hands of Ashwath Bhatt, director of Mask Players, Jonathan Chadwick, Director of Az Theatre and Mohammed Amin Bhatt, playwright and director based in Srinagar.
...
Mohammed Amin Bhatt started his career with the Mehboob Cultural Society in Baramulla which continues to be the artistic base of his work. His work is presented in Srinagar and throughout the Kashmir Valley. He is an award-winning writer in Kashmiri for the stage, the screen and radio with an output that was suspended from 1989 to 2004 due to period of intense armed conflict.
...
The viability research trip undertaken by Ashwath Bhatt and Jonathan Chadwick in September 2007 was supported by Dr Ganju from Kashmiri Bhawan Centre Luton, and by hospitality from Ashwath Bhatt's family, from the family of M. Amin Bhatt, from Abdul Majeed Dar's family, from J&K Academy of Arts, Culture and Literature, from Anubhav Kohli of Kohlees Hotel, Srinagar.