Kashmiri Youth Turn GTA Into ‘Halal’ Reel Series: No Guns, Just Bread Runs And Family Chores
A group of Kashmiri youth have reimagined the GTA into a viral ‘Halal’ Instagram series, replacing crime and violence with bread runs and local humour.
Published : October 13, 2025 at 5:35 PM IST
Srinagar: What if the world's most controversial video game, Grand Theft Auto (GTA), was set in Kashmir, but without the crime, profanity and bloodshed? A group of Srinagar youth has answered that question with a viral Instagram series called Grand Theft Aatu (GTA) Kashmir, where the mission isn’t to steal a car but to fetch bread from the local bakery.
At the centre of this unexpected cultural revolution is Arfat Baktoo, an independent filmmaker whose works have been screened at film festivals. Instead of working on his next film, he decided to test the Instagram algorithm.
“We first tried it randomly; someone just walked like a GTA character,” Arfat, who plays the Shuja character in the gameplay, told ETV Bharat. “But when we added Kashmiri language, dialogue and humour, people immediately connected. That's when GTA Kashmir took proper shape.”
The team refers to their format as “Halal Chaos”. It mirrors the dramatic missions of the original game but cleanses them of all vice. No drug deals, no nightclub sequences, no street brawls and no prostitution. Instead, their quests revolve around buying Kehwa ingredients, avoiding nosy neighbours, or balancing a tray of tea like a boss-level challenge.
Despite how effortless their videos appear, the production process is surprisingly intense.
“It takes us an entire day to publish a few seconds,” Arfat explained. “Shooting takes around one and a half hours. But post-production, adding effects, sounds, and maps, can take three to four hours.”
The five-member crew works like a mini film unit. Scripts are planned for two to three days, locations are carefully selected within Srinagar, and improvisation is allowed only if it fits the gameplay logic.
Actor Zamin Ajaz Mir, who often plays the stiff-moving GTA-style character, says muscle memory from gaming helps him act.
“We grew up playing GTA. I always loved driving cars in it," he said. "When we shoot, I try to copy the same hand movements and robotic walking. The challenge is to stay serious while doing something so absurd.”
The group has now grown ambitious enough to consider formal permissions. “We're already reaching out to Rockstar Games for a no-objection approval, maybe even a collaboration,” Zamin revealed.
The man behind the lens is Afif Baktoo, Arfat's sibling. His biggest challenge isn't framing, it's discretion.
“Shooting in Srinagar, especially in Old City, requires sensitivity,” Afif said. “People stop and stare. We have to respect everyone’s privacy. Every angle, every tilt is calculated. After shooting, we all sit together and approve the final cut.”
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