Pulwama: When Wali Mohammad, who is nicknamed as Wali Kak, 50, walks through streets of Pulwama town in South Kashmir, people run to him for handshake for obvious reasons as he can’t be asked for autograph.
His fans know that this erstwhile star of local cable television had no opportunity to attend school but still he memorised many prayers like ‘lab pay aate hai duwa ban kar tamana mere’ that are usually said on morning assemblies across schools in Jammu and Kashmir.
This dwarf actor of Tengpuna village, Wali Kak had to confine himself within four walls for around 40 long years to avoid being the subject of fun for onlookers in his village.
He says that many people in his neighbourhood used to taunt him for being a dwarf which would instantly upset him.
“Whenever i used to come out of my house, people used to taunt me as tshoot-Kashmiri word for dwarfish,” he says.
He would become disturbed with the taunts and soon would vanish into his room where he found none to taunt and laugh at his size.
“I am incapable of doing manual labour, I used to think that I have to be a burden on my family and die without anybody noticing me,” he says.
One day it happened–when Cable television was emerging as a new medium of local entertainment in Kashmir–that Ghulam Mohudin (Mahd -e -Payur) and Altaf Noorpori, two erstwhile stalwarts of cable television of Kashmir, noticed him while shooting in Tenpuna village and instantly he was picked up by them as new comic character for future assignments .
As the camera rolled on Wali Kaka’s face, he became a household name not only in Pulwama but across Kashmir.
The tale of Wali looks simple, overcoming a difficulty. But, he has not one but many; he is dwarf and also stammering.
Overcoming all of these shortcomings, he acted in dozens of cable television serials, performed complex and challenging roles with artistic brilliance.
. He exceptional roles include; railway engine running on inter-district Baramullah-Banihal railway track, Papita hanging down from a papita tree, Chillie Bache (last 10 days of severe winter season in Kashmir), Rat hiding in a hole and Foreign Beast (Naebrim Balae).
Though, Cable Television in Kashmir didn’t stay relevant due ample reasons and artists stopped local productions but huge popularity won him a friend following.
“Acting won me respect and sense of belonging, wherever i visit people recognise me by my work and women of my village don’t taunt me anymore,” he says.
