STATE TIMES NEWS
Srinagar: With an aim to promote tourism, Jammu and Kashmir Government has set up a single window clearance system for granting permission within seven days for shooting Bollywood movies in the Valley.
“We have established a single window clearance system for film shoots in Kashmir. These permissions will be granted within seven days of application,” Commissioner Secretary Tourism Shailendra Kumar told PTI.Kashmir was a favourite outdoor shooting destination for Bollywood movies before the eruption of militancy in 1990. The Valley is again finding favour with the producers as legendary Yash Chopra’s last directorial venture starring Shah Rukh Khan ‘Jab Tak Hai Jaan’ was extensively shot in Kashmir.
Critically-acclaimed ‘Haider’ — Vishal Bhardwaj’s adaption of Shakespeare’s Hamlet — was entirely shot in Kashmir, following Salman Khan-starrer ‘Bhajrangi Bhaijaan’ having an extended shoot in the Valley.
Kumar said more and more Bollywood movies are being shot in the State, especially Kashmir, which will go a long way in promoting tourism.
“Pahalgam was famous even before ‘Betaab’ (Sunny Deol’s debut movie) was shot there but the tourists would only go to a particular point.
After the movie, we created Betaab Valley and tourists want to visit it,” he said. The official said the increasing number of Bollywood movies being shot in Kashmir will help in perception management about the situation in the Valley.
“When the movies are being shot in Kashmir, it will send a message across the country that we are on the path to normalcy. We hope it will lead to more tourist arrivals,” he added.
The other factor which the State Government wants to tap is the popularity of the Bollywood movies for giving a boost to the State economy.
“Naturally, we expect more footfall of tourists when the beautiful places of Kashmir are showcased in the movies.
Tourism at the moment is contributing seven per cent of the State’s Gross Domestic Product… It has the potential to go up to 30 per cent and we are trying to tap every possible avenue for achieving it,” Kumar said.
