Srinagar, Mar 05: Rajkapoor’s 1949 film “Barsat,” which introduced the Kashmir valley’s natural beauty to a larger audience in the nation, marked the beginning of Bollywood’s romance with Kashmir. After that, Bollywood producers made the valley their preferred destination.
According to folklore, Kashmir was a popular filming destination until the 1980s, but after the insurgency started, there was a gap. Theindustry resumed filming after a 30-year hiatus, and the government received hundreds of requests from producers to shoot their movies here.
A song called “Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahani,” starring Ranveer Singh and Aaliya Bhat, is now being filmed in Kashmir, according to a senior official in Kashmir’s tourism department. For the shoot, the crew has also arrived in Gulmarg.
The officer stated, “Many film makers wanted to shoot their films here since the new film policy was introduced by LG. In Kashmir, the department of tourism also assists them, and anyone looking to shoot a movie should contact DIPR for help.
The film policy intends to maximise the potential of bright local talent and create employment opportunities for people by making Jammu and Kashmir the most sought-after site for the entertainment industry, reviving the region’s glory days as a cinematographer’s paradise.
After approval from the UT administration, the “Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahani” crew, led by director Karan Johar, has landed in the renowned ski resort of Gulmarg to start filming one of the movie’s songs.
“Kashmir has tremendous potential, and It’s going to benefit tourism in Jammu and Kashmir. It’s a brand known all over the world. When we saw these locations in 1960 movies, I think today it is more beautiful, and we have many other locations as well”, a senior tourism official said.
The Jammu and Kashmir government has placed the licensing system under the Public Service Guarantee Act as part of the new film policy (PSGA). The JK administration has a set deadline of 30 days in which to grant filmmakers’ permission. Moreover, a single-window system has been implemented to make things simpler for the producers. Filmmakers can submit online requests for authorization.
Also, the government is offering these filmmakers incentives to shoot in several valley locales. Kashmir is progressing, which is good news for the local filmmakers in the valley, and these projects will provide local artists with an opportunity to work on them.
The Kashmir valley will once again serve as a location for filming, which will provide jobs for local youngsters and increase awareness of the area’s beauty among a wider global audience. Also, that will serve to promote tourism to Kashmir.
The hopes of Kashmiri hoteliers and houseboat owners have increased as Bollywood directors like Karan Johar have picked Kashmir as the location for their films, since they anticipate a significant influx of filmgoers from the industry.
