SRINAGAR: Shoib Nikash Shah was always enamored by stars and 70mm. A son of a cop, he dreamed of becoming an actor when he was playing with toys. Such was his passion that he started doing small ad films and music videos to get noticed.
Come 2011, Shah signed his first movie ‘The Identity Card’ which was hailed by critics and audiences. His recent outing `The Last Coffee’ with Ankita Lokhande aka Archana of `Pavitra Rishta’ fame has made him a star.
“My mom is a cop and my dad is a contractor. I come from a small village in Surankote, Poonch. When I was 10, we shifted to Jammu. My initial schooling happened in Jammu before I moved to Srinagar where I passed class 12. Later I returned to Jammu where I did my graduation and post-graduation,” Shah told The Kashmir Monitor.
It was during school days, Shah started doing small roles in local ad films just to get spotted and earn money for daily needs. “I always wanted to be an actor. So I started my showbiz career with ad films. I was earning some money for my daily needs. Plus it gave me a chance to remain in circulation. This helped me in building my career in the industry,” he said.
A fan of Amitabh Bachchan and Shah Rukh Khan, Shah grew up watching their movies and trying to create a niche for himself in the industry. That is when he dabbled in the direction. So far, Shah has directed 18 movies, web series, and other films. Some of his movies have been showcased at International Film Festivals.
“I have been lucky that I did not have to struggle much. From my school days, I was getting work. I have always been inspired by Amitabh Bachchan and Shah Rukh Khan. I tried to contribute something to the cinema. I tried every genre. Be it love stories, environmental documentaries, feature films, comedy, thriller, you name anyone,” he said.
Despite being one of the best names in the film world, Shah has not forgotten his roots. “Bollywood has an old connection with J&K. We tried to become a bridge to restore it. We have shot a majority of films in J&K. From Poonch to Pantitop and from Jammu to Kashmir, we have shot our movies everywhere. Yet we have to explore more,” he said.
The subtext of Shah’s outings has been to promote local talent. “In all our films, we have hired local actors and technicians. We want to showcase their talent to the world and make them star in their way,” said Shah.
