Srinagar, May 22: Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Science and Technology; MoS PMO, Dr Jitendra Singh on Monday said that the 3rd Tourism Working Group Meeting at Kashmir along with its side events will create job opportunities for the youth as the new and peaceful Jammu and Kashmir is attracting the filmmakers not only from India but across the world too due to its pristine beauty.
“ The valley is attracting filmmakers once again. Kashmir has benefited from Bollywood, it has also contributed to the film industry, “ Singh added.
Dr. Singh said this is the best time happening in Jammu and Kashmir under PM Narendra Modi as such events will have a multifarious enrichment for J&K. “Under PM Narendra Modi, Kashmir is going to be the most profitable, cost effective and economically viable film destination,” he said.
Addressing the side event on ‘Film Tourism for Economic Growth and Cultural Preservation’ during 3rd Tourism Working Group Meeting at SKICC, Srinagar, DrSingh said the mindset of people has changed in Jammu and Kashmir as the strike calls are being issued from Pakistan and people in Srinagar don’t pay heed to it
“There are no takers for strike calls in Kashmir as the mindset of the people of Jammu and Kashmir has changed for the better,” he further stated.
He said common people on the streets of Srinagar want to move on. They have lost two generations due to insurgency. False narrative being created by the vested interests with regard to J&K doesn’t exist anymore, he said.
The Union Minister Dr. Singh said people who are coming here (Kashmir) from international countries are the real ambassadors and friends of India.
“They will go back to correct the false narrative which was tried to be developed and manufactured by the self-style critics, commentators and self-righteous activists and those vested interest people who think that peace will never return to Kashmir,” he said.
The MoS Dr Singh said that right from 1990 an evil eye looked at the paradise valley that separated it from being developed. “Sometimes I think it would have been like Hyderabad and even at that time whatever international events were being… would be held in Srinagar itself”, he said.
The union minister also highlighted how Kashmir has been the hotspot of film tourism.
He said youth of Kashmir are highly aspirational, sensitive and forward looking who can see the enormous opportunities unfolded by PM Narendra Modi for the people of this country.
Speaking about scope of film tourism in Kashmir, Dr Singh said that Bollywood icon Shammi Kapoor not only became a star out of Kashmir but also promoted the destination as well.“Dus Lakh (1996 movie) was entirely shot in the hotel which was known as Oberoi.
“Many songs were shot here. Movies became a huge source of revenue and vocation (in Kashmir) till 1990’s. Popular filmmaker Raj Kapoor experimented with shooting in Europe for his movie “Sangam”, but when he returned, “he chose to shoot in Kashmir”.
“Kashmir offers everything for shooting of films. We hope that it will be a two-way traffic with our boys and girls getting opportunities in the film industry as well,” the MoS said.
