J&K’s new film policy is revitalising film tourism, region’s economy

SHAKEELA ANDRABI

SRINAGAR: Everything is changing in Jammu and Kashmir, Kashmir is once again becoming a favourite destination for the Bollywood Film Industry. Bollywood and Tollywood’s return to Kashmir after more than three decades of insurgency has being in much appreciated, this is the reason why most Film makers across the country are eager to come to thisKashmir and shoot their upcoming projects .
This was stated by Bollywood Film Director Dheeraj Mishra in a press conference regarding his upcoming Hindi film “Lafzoon Mein Pyaar” at Srinagar.
He said “the film industry in the country has had a great romance with Kashmir, most of the films in the past were shot there. It was only for a brief period that people started going out looking for locations which were as beautiful which they could not find in the country ,they had to travel abroad to go and shoot”.
“The new film policy of J&K has generated fresh hope among local artists that the policy would generate employment opportunities for them and rejuvenate old connection with Bollywood” he said.
Famous film and TV actor and Lalit Parimoo said, “Being a Kashmiri, I feel proud to be a part of this film which has been shot entirely in Jammu and Kashmir and the impressive thing is that not only me but the main characters of this film are Kashmiri’s. Apart from this all the nine songs are sung by young Kashmiri talented boy Kabul Bukhari”.
Lalit Parimoo said that Jammu and Kashmir provides the finest locations for the film shooting and Jammu and Kashmir LG administration took an initiative and came out with a new film policy where many incentives are being given and single window system is being provided, and because of new policy Kashmir has received great response by the Bollywood.
“Like the increase in footfall of tourists ,film crews are also returning to Valley to capture the picturesque ,shooting friendly locales which will give up a huge fillip to Jammu Kashmir’s economy besides giving new dimensions to Film tourism here,” he added.
In the last year more than 200 films web series and serials were shot in J&K, which is a great revival of film tourism in Kashmir.
According to officials of the tourism “We are projecting 300 destinations for film shooting so that the production houses can choose any destination for their shooting.”