In an exclusive interview with Rising Kashmir’s Special Correspondent Abid Bashir, Bollywood director Danish Aslam discusses his journey from Delhi to Bombay, his creative partnership with actor Imran Khan, filming in Kashmir, and the Valley’s evolving potential for film tourism. EXCERPTS:   Q Tell us about your film journey, when did you join the industry and what prompted you to join Bollywood? I technically started in Delhi, not Bombay. After completing my post-graduation in Mass Communication from JamiaMilliaIslamia, I worked as an assistant director on three films, the last being Lakshya. Once it wrapped, I moved to Bombay in December 2003, that’s when the “Bombay chapter” officially began. As for why I joined Bollywood, it wasn’t a cinematic epiphany. It was more a process of eliminating what I didn’t want to do. I didn’t want to be a doctor, and after I didn’t clear medical entrance exams, I pursued English Honours because I liked reading. I then applied for Mass Communication and chose Jamia, which allowed me to stay in Delhi. Initially, I thought I might become a cinematographer, but assisting on Let’s Enjoy and working on other projects made me realise that direction was where my curiosity and sanity felt at home.   Q How many movies have you directed so far? I have directed two films so far and am currently working on my third. In addition, I have directed several shows and web series.   Q Tell us about your relationship with Imran Khan and the movie you were shooting in Kashmir. Danish Aslam: My relationship with Imran goes back to 2009 when I first pitched Break KeBaad to him. The first narration went terribly — I am bad at narrations, and Imran is equally bad at listening. He politely passed. A few days later, we bumped into each other at a party, and without the pressure of a narration room, we got along really well. I called him the next morning with a rewritten draft. He read it, loved it, and that’s how the film, and our friendship, began. Interestingly, the friendship outlasted the film. Over the years, we discovered we’re oddly similar, our mothers even share the same maiden name, and we stayed close long after the film was released. Last year, Imran decided to re-enter the industry. We pitched ideas until we found one that resonated deeply with both of us. We agreed to make the film entirely on our own terms with two of our closest friends, Wasim Khan and PriyaSridharan of Open-Air Films. It became a deeply personal, collaborative project. As for Kashmir, I was there last week for patchwork, pickups, and plates. Principal photography is done, and we’re deep in editing. Since it’s a Netflix project, I can’t share more until the official announcement, but yes, the film exists, we’ve shot it, and we’re happily editing it. Q How does it feel shooting in your own native place? It’s something I have wanted for years. Not just because Kashmir is home, but because I feel the Valley deserves a much broader cinematic imagination. For decades, Kashmir has been framed through a single narrative. I have never agreed with that. This film isn’t a Kashmir-centric story, but one of the characters organically became Kashmiri, and that opened the door for us to shoot here. I wish we could’ve filmed a larger portion in the Valley, but even the short schedule was incredibly special. For the first time, I saw Srinagar not through nostalgia — which is how I’ve always remembered it — but through the camera lens. Some things had changed, many things hadn’t, but the beauty is still unbelievably constant. Kashmir is one of those places where you can leave the camera on the floor and still get a great shot. Shooting here confirmed one thing for me: I am definitely coming back with a story that is more rooted in Kashmir. Q Is film tourism picking up in Kashmir? What’s your take? Film tourism in Kashmir has always been cyclical because the region itself remains in flux. Despite optimistic claims, there’s still no long-term resolution. That means even a small incident has a disproportionate impact on tourism. During our shoot last week, everyone I met expressed relief at seeing a film crew. They hoped it would inspire more teams to return because tourism has dropped sharply in the last few months — especially after the Pahalgam incident. Places that should’ve been full were nearly empty. What’s ironic is that just late last year, tourism was so high that people joked it was cheaper to fly to Switzerland than holiday in Kashmir. This volatility is the biggest challenge. For tourism — especially film tourism — to thrive, stability is essential. Kashmir’s beauty isn’t the problem; the Valley is always ready. The question is whether people feel confident enough to come. Q.What was the feedback from the friends accompanying you to Kashmir? Every person I have ever brought to Kashmir  wants to return. It’s never a one-time trip — it becomes a lifelong relationship. I genuinely hope that continues. Q What was your experience during the shoot in Kashmir? It was one of the most beautiful shoots of my life. My only regret is that I didn’t have more to shoot — if someone had given me another week of scenes, I would have stayed happily. The local line production team was excellent — incredibly professional and efficient. Whether we were at Nowgam Railway Station or other parts of Srinagar, everything was smooth. The local police and authorities were equally cooperative and welcoming. Our line producers, M Y Productions, were outstanding. What surprised me most was how much the filmmaking ecosystem in Kashmir has evolved. Ten years ago, there wasn’t this level of infrastructure. Today, you have proper line producers, equipment, trained local crew, extras — the entire machinery. It shows that filmmakers have been coming consistently and the ecosystem has grown. The schedule was short, the weather was freezing (yes, for Bombay people that counts as extreme conditions), but the shoot was seamless, warm and memorable. It made me want to return with a bigger, more rooted project.