Filmmakers throng scenic Kashmir for shooting
Filmmakers, mainly from Bollywood and Tollywood, are making a beeline for shooting in the scenic splendour of locales of Jammu and Kashmir, especially after the recent launch of the Union Territory’s maiden film policy by lieutenant-governor Manoj Sinha, officials here said on Friday. They added that the policy which offers several incentives for smooth facilitation of filmmaking has incentivised outdoor shootings in J&K.
An official release issued here said that in January 2021, Bollywood’s big banners arrived in Kashmir Valley, “giving a major shot in the arm to the tourism sector which was facing huge losses”.
It said that the visiting Bollywood team comprised of a 24-member delegation representing Ajay Devgan Films, Sanjay Dutt Productions, Reliance Entertainment, Rohit Shetty Films, Zee Studios, Adhikari Brothers and SAB (Marathi), The Endemol and the Excel Entertainment besides director Raj Kumar Hirani and several representatives from the Producers Guild, Mumbai.
“Top production houses have visited various locations in the UT having the charming natural beauty and potential of shooting a variety of subjects,” the statement stated. It, quoting director tourism, “Kashmir has been receiving good response from filmmakers since the opening of tourism here in addition to the regional entertainment houses for shooting song sequences and commercial advertisements.”
The statement said that Bollywood directors have chosen Kashmir as the filming ground for many of their movies due to its picturesque landscapes. “The shooting of many popular movies like Highway, Phantom, Fitoor, Bajrangi Bhaijaan, Raazi, Haider, 3 Idiots and more happened in Kashmir.”
It quoted film producer Siddharth Roy Kapur having said during his recent visit to the Valley, “We will bring Kashmir back to the film industry the way it was in the 1960s.”
It recalled that a threeday winter festival at Gulmarg saw the presence of celebrities like Kapur,
Vidya Balan, Neelam Kothari and Arbaaz Khan. Kothari had asserted that she will encourage her colleagues, producers and directors of the industry to shoot their films in Kashmir Valley, especially Gulmarg. “Kashmir is very near to my heart as my first picture Jawaani was shot in beautiful locations of Srinagar, Gulmarg and Pahalgam”, she had asserted on the sidelines of the festival” organised by the Army to celebrate the 75th year of Indian Independence “Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav”.
She had said that the Bollywood can shoot films in the beautiful locations of Kashmir "very happily and comfortably as there is no fear or threat”.