MASROOR AHMAD
SRINAGAR: Kashmir has always been more than just a picturesque location for Bollywood. It’s a music that has inspired generations of filmmakers to create stories of love, loss, and salvation. From timeless classics like Shammi Kapoor and Sharmila Tagore starrer ‘Kashmir Ki Kali’ to modern blockbusters like Salman Khan and Kareena Kapoor starer Bajrangi Bhai Jaan, the cinematic charm of the Valley has remained unparalleled.
Amid the current peace and tourist rush, filmmakers from Bollywood and South Indian Cinema are making and trying to capture the essence of Kashmir on celluloid .I n 2023, Kashmir emerged as a focal point for the film industry and hosted the shooting of 102 films and web series. More than 200 filmmakers have sought permission from the authorities to shoot in the scenic valley this year.
In the past two years, around 700 producers applied for shooting permission, with 300 receiving the green light. Under the new Film Policy, the Jammu and Kashmir administration has put the permission system under Public Services Guarantee Act.The administration has to give permission to filmmakers within a stipulated time of 30 days.A single window system has also been put in place to make it easier for the producers.The filmmakers can apply for permission online.The government is also providing these filmmakers with incentives to shoot at various locations across the Valley.
This policy, which aims to position Jammu and Kashmir as a hub of cinematic creativity and productivity, has played a pivotal role in attracting filmmakers to Kashmir.
Similarly, south Indian film productions have also found solace in the fascinating landscape of Kashmir. Whether it is the dramatic sequences of a romantic saga or the action sequences of the thriller, the valley provides a canvas for every cinematic vision.
As the film industry again started to date with Kashmir, the first multiplex was opened in September 2022.Theatres in the Valley were shut in the early 1990s and it was after a gap of three decades that a multiplex was opened. Multipurpose cinema halls were also opened in other districts of Kashmir, including volatile Pulwama and Shopian.
Locals say that tourism in the valley has got a huge boost in the last three years and now it seems that the film industry also returning to its favourite destination, it will not only help employment generation but also encourage the new generation to step into the Hindi cinema and television industry.