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India Today
17-05-2025
- Entertainment
- India Today
Beyond beauty, beneath pain: Why filmmakers keep returning to a wounded Kashmir?
Indian cinema's love for Kashmir is beyond its beauty. The stunning skies, colourful shikaras dancing in the middle of the Dal lake, and the dazzling snow-capped mountains make every frame look like it was painted by God herself. But, that's not the only reason why filmmakers keep returning to the Valley despite its turbulent history has been written with so much pain and drama that the place's existence looks straight from a full-fledged commercial Hindi film. The more you explore, the more it resembles an epic tale - unbelievable, yet hauntingly real. The language of the place attracts a creative mind to dig into more about its history, its people, the culture and the future as Kashmir as the backdrop of any story means making the Valley look like an unspoken character in the film. Something that director Vishal Bharadwaj did in 'Haider'. Or that Shakti Samanta did in 1964 by setting a love story between Sharmila Tagore and Shammi Kapoor in 'Kashmir Ki Kali'. In 1965, Kashmir again served as the backdrop for a new love story - between a Shikara owner (Shashi Kapoor) and a rich tourist (Nanda) - in Suraj Prakash's 'Jab Jab Phool Khile'. Actor John Abraham, who has shot extensively in Kashmir, decoded why the filmmakers just can't get enough of the Valley. The 52-year-old recalled shooting 'Vedaa' there, and remembered how the place hosted both a sense of calm and 'uneasiness'. While speaking to India Today Digital, the popular action star narrated that Kashmir became a character in his film, and it does the same for so many other films because it can never be just a was a very important character in the film. If you've seen Veda, (you'd know) that's where he (the male lead has) lost his wife, which is why we shot there. It was very important to get the characters right in the film. Kashmir was not just a cinematic journey for us. It was a character and the backstory of our film," he who has worked with the biggest production houses in the country and has been acting for over two decades, said he experienced strangeness there. He recalled, "So I shot there for quite some time. I don't remember how many days, but we got a very, very long schedule there. In fact, when I shot there, I think there was a certain shot. I was shooting by a mosque and, I was wondering, and I mean it, it was a drone shot and everybody had moved out. The shot happened at 7 am when we got the right light. Let me tell you that I was a strange sense of calm there but also a strange sense of uneasiness." But, what about security? On April 22 this year, 26 innocent people, mostly tourists, were shot dead by terrorists while they were soaking up the beauty of Kashmir in the popular Baisaran meadow in Pahalgam - an incident that sent the entire nation into mourning. Even with all its unmatched beauty on the surface, Kashmir has carried deep wounds of Pakistan-backed terrorism within. History hasn't been able to heal the Valley. But, those who have shot there and lived there say its people continue to wake up and welcome new sunshine every day, irrespective of witnessing the most cloudy, gloomy and dark Siddharth P Malhotra, known for 'Hichki' and 'Maharaj', among others, shot his web series 'Kaafir' and a TV show called 'Pashmina' in the Valley. He recalled, "Kashmir is India's Switzerland, every frame is naturally stunning. But, what makes it magical isn't just the views; it's the people. During our shoot, I experienced first-hand how deeply hospitable and kind-hearted Kashmiris are."Kashmir's beauty lies in its people and the culture that they treasure so deeply. Malhotra explained, "If you are lost at 2 am, they'll take you home, offer you kahwa, lend their phones, rich or poor. That's their spirit. That's Kashmiriyat, warmth, dignity, and generosity.""Yes, filmmakers will always have security concerns, especially after recent incidents. But the legacy and heart of Kashmir is its people, its food, its culture that make it unforgettable. It changes you. And that's why cinema will keep returning to the valley," he beauty is one thing, but its truth is something else. The Valley's truth is that terrorism has attacked her, robbed her of her serenity, and has forced her to see more destruction than any other place in the country. And yet she reconstructed herself - again and again. For filmmaker Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri, it's important that cinema continues to show Kashmir's pain and wounds in their film 'The Kashmir Files' featured one of the most tragic events in history that happened in the Valley - the exodus of Kashmiri Pandits (1990). In an exclusive interview with India Today, Agnihotri said the Valley would be healed completely the day the world acknowledges its past injuries and understands the conflict that continues to tear it up into pieces. The 51-year-old referred to the West's unawareness of the issues of Kashmir and how cinema can become so much more by reading the language of Kashmir and learning from its history. "We need to make more films on Kashmir and use it as our soft power to fight the world. We need to convey our message like Hollywood, which made so many films on the Holocaust that nobody in the world dared to say a word against the Holocaust," he director added, "Now, in India, we keep questioning, debating around it, and that is the reason that in this conflict with Pakistan, suddenly, the American diplomats have raised the question of Kashmir because they don't know, they are not aware (of the real issues). I just came back from the US and I know they have absolutely no idea about this region. How does it work? The only way (to make the world more aware of Kashmir) is to show it with a lot of human touch, a lot of care, tenderness. Unless and until you feel that pain... And anybody who makes a film on Kashmir must go and speak to the victims of Kashmir."Understanding Kashmir is not a day's job. It's about learning and unlearning years of its silence, and looking at its silken green meadows turning heavy with pain. A few days ago, actor Suniel Shetty shared a post on social media in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terrorist attack, and said he would go back to Kashmir for his next family holiday. The same sentiments are echoed by the filmmakers we spoke to. Do we leave a family member to suffer in pain if they are going through a difficult time? Do we just leave them behind to deal with their problems on their own? Do we cut ties? No, because that's not the spirit of India. We value our relationships and our own more than ourselves. For us, Kashmir still is and will always be the cradle of mountains where heaven sleeps. And for as long as the Chinar blushes in the arms of the breeze, the cinema will continue to pay a wears her wounds like ancestral gold, and the filmmakers will make sure that we see the Valley standing, with snow in her hair. As Malhotra concluded beautifully, "We would go back in a heartbeat." IN THIS STORY#John Abraham#Anupam Kher
NDTV
23-04-2025
- Entertainment
- NDTV
Pahalgam Terror Attack Cuts Short Bollywood's Cautious Love Affair With Kashmir
New Delhi: On Tuesday, the idyllic town of Pahalgam in Kashmir - often referred to as India's "mini Switzerland" - was shattered by a gruesome terror attack that claimed the lives of 26 tourists. Allegedly targeted for not offering prayers, they were gunned down in cold blood, a first-of-its-kind unprovoked attack on civilians in a region that had long been considered an oasis of peace, even during Kashmir's darkest chapters. Unlike neighbouring areas like Anantnag or Pulwama that have endured insurgency-related violence for decades, Pahalgam had remained untouched. The attack not only stunned the nation but also severed, perhaps indefinitely, Bollywood's tentative rekindling of its once-flourishing relationship with the valley. Local voices painted a stark picture. " Humaari toh rozi roti gayi," said a shopkeeper in the bustling main bazaar of Pahalgam. For thousands whose livelihoods depended on tourism and film shoots, the tragedy brought with it not just mourning but economic devastation. Betaab And The Birth Of Betaab Valley The cinematic history of Pahalgam began in 1983 with the release of Betaab, the debut film of Sunny Deol and Amrita Singh. Directed by Rahul Rawail, the film was a sweeping romance set against the breathtaking backdrops of lush meadows, pine forests and snow-capped peaks. The love story between two youngsters from different worlds struck a chord, but what left an indelible mark was the location. A still from Betaab Such was the film's visual impact that the area where it was shot came to be known as "Betaab Valley", a name now officially marked on the tourist map of Jammu & Kashmir. It became one of the most photographed and visited destinations in the Valley, pulling in both film crews and tourists for decades. The Golden Era Of Filming In Kashmir Following Betaab, a wave of filmmakers turned their lens toward Kashmir. Films like Kashmir Ki Kali (1964) starring Shammi Kapoor and Sharmila Tagore, had already captured Pahalgam's beauty, but the post- Betaab era saw a marked uptick in big-budget productions choosing the Valley as their set. A still from Kashmir Ki Kali Between the 1960s and 1980s, Kashmir was a central hub for Bollywood films. Known for its breathtaking landscapes, it became the setting for numerous iconic movies that have defined Indian cinema. Films like Kashmir Ki Kali (1964), Arzoo (1965), Jab Jab Phool Khile (1965), and Kabhi Kabhie (1976) featured the majestic Dal Lake, lush meadows and snow-capped mountains. A still from Silsila The grandeur of Kashmir was captured in classics like Silsila (1981), Satte Pe Satta (1982), and Roti (1974), which created an inseparable link between Bollywood and Kashmir. A Break In The Romance The 1990s were marked by a wave of militancy in Kashmir, particularly in areas like Anantnag, Pulwama and Sopore. Bollywood pulled back, no longer willing to risk shooting in a region that had turned volatile. Pahalgam, despite being relatively untouched by violence, suffered from the broader perception that Kashmir was "unsafe". The tide began to turn in the 2000s. After a hiatus of 28 years, Kashmir's silver screen presence was reignited by director Imtiaz Ali, who in 2011 decided to film Rockstar, starring Ranbir Kapoor and Nargis Fakhri, in the famous Betaab Valley. A still from Rockstar The choice of location was not coincidental: the valley had earned fame decades earlier with the 1983 film Betaab. Imtiaz Ali's film brought Kashmir back into the cinematic fold, and soon, the Valley's magic was discovered by more filmmakers. In 2012, Bollywood's "Badshah", Shah Rukh Khan, visited Pahalgam for Jab Tak Hai Jaan. The film's romantic track Jiya Re, shot against the stunning Betaab Valley, reintroduced the Valley to a global audience. The Valley's pristine beauty, captured by Yash Chopra's camera, signalled the revival of Kashmir as a film destination, and Bollywood's love affair with the region was reborn. A still from Jab Tak Hai Jaan In 2013, Ranbir Kapoor returned to the snow-clad landscapes of Gulmarg and Pahalgam for Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani alongside Deepika Padukone, shooting in temperatures as low as -6.7°C. A still from Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani Despite the 2014 floods, which devastated Kashmir and led to massive loss of life and property, filmmakers did not shy away. Films like Fitoor (2014), an adaptation of Charles Dickens' Great Expectations, was filmed around Srinagar's Dal Lake and Pahalgam. The same year, Highway, starring Alia Bhatt, was shot in the Aru Valley in Pahalgam. The film, released in 2015, focused on the themes of freedom and escape, and used Kashmir's landscapes as a metaphor for the protagonist's emotional journey. A still from Highway Haider (2014), directed by Vishal Bhardwaj, was shot in Pahalgam and other parts of the Kashmir Valley. Salman Khan's Bajrangi Bhaijaan (2015) shot scenes in Pahalgam that doubled for Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani (2023), starring Alia Bhatt and Ranveer Singh, was also shot in Pahalgam, Gulmarg and Srinagar. A still from Bajrangi Bhaijaan Aside from this, Sam Bahadur, which tells the story of India's first Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw, was shot in Pahalgam and Srinagar, both located in the Kashmir region. Each film contributed not just to India's pop culture memory but also helped rebuild Kashmir's image as a safe, scenic haven. The shoots brought in money, visibility, and jobs. Hotel occupancy rose, homestays thrived, and a new generation of Kashmiris saw Bollywood not as a distant dream but a tangible opportunity. The abrogation of Article 370 on August 5, 2019 also played its part. This constitutional change revoked the special status of Jammu and Kashmir and was followed by the implementation of the Jammu and Kashmir Film Policy in 2021. Supported by actors like Aamir Khan and filmmakers such as Rajkumar Hirani, the policy aimed to bring normalcy by attracting filmmakers back to the Valley. The results were swift. The plan seemed to work. Pahalgam emerged as a symbol of Kashmir's rebirth. Until now. A Terror Attack That Shook The 'Safe Haven' Unlike other parts of Kashmir Valley that have been theatres of violence, Pahalgam had, until now, managed to stay insulated. There had never been a major terror attack in this scenic locale. That's why the recent attack hit harder. It wasn't just a humanitarian tragedy - it was a psychological blow. The terrorists wore "clothes similar to those of local police" and opened fire. One of the survivors said there were several tourists around, but the terrorists specifically targeted men after asking whether they were Hindus or Muslims. "This has never happened here before," said one local, his voice trembling with disbelief. " Pehli baar aisa hua hai Pahalgam mein. Humaari toh rozi roti gayi." For the locals, the consequences are immediate and severe. "We depend on tourists. If they stop coming, what will we eat?" asked a vendor near the Lidder River. Ground Zero: Last Bollywood Film To Be Shot In Kashmir (For Some Time) Ironically, it is Emraan Hashmi's film Ground Zero, a movie on the killing of terrorist Ghazi Baba, that now marks an abrupt halt to Bollywood's cautious affair with the valley. Starring Emraan and Sai Tamhankar, the film wrapped up shooting in Pahalgam days before the terror attack. In a cruel twist, the title has become eerily prophetic. For now, the clapboards have closed and the cameras have stopped rolling. This attack in Pahalgam, the region that had long been Kashmir's crown jewel and safest bet, has cut short a story that had just begun to be re-written. From Betaab to Ground Zero, what started as a romantic saga now risks becoming a closing chapter.
Time of India
23-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
'Bemisal,' 'Kashmir Ki Kali', 'Jab Jab Phool Khile' and others: Bollywood's timeless romance in Kashmir
For decades, Kashmir's ethereal beauty was Bollywood's ultimate muse, transforming the valley into a cinematic canvas for romantic musicals. From the 1960s to the 1980s, the snow-capped peaks of Gulmarg, the verdant meadows of Pahalgam, and the serene Dal Lake were more than just backdrops, they were characters in love stories that captivated audiences. Films like 'Junglee' (1961), with its iconic song 'Yahoo!', and 'Bemisal' (1982), where Anand Bakshi's lyrics immortalized Kashmir's charm, showcased the valley's allure. The region's picturesque landscapes were synonymous with romance, offering a dreamlike escape for viewers through shikara serenades and flower-laden sequences. However, the rise of militancy in the late 1980s dimmed this golden era, shifting Bollywood's lens elsewhere. Kashmir as Bollywood's romantic muse Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Trade Bitcoin & Ethereum – No Wallet Needed! IC Markets Start Now Undo Kashmir was Bollywood's go-to for love stories, its natural splendor amplifying emotional narratives. Films like ' Kashmir Ki Kali ' (1964) were the peak of this, with Shammi Kapoor and Sharmila Tagore's romance unfolding against Dal Lake's shikaras and Pahalgam's meadows. The song 'Yeh Chand Sa Roshan Chehra' became an anthem of love, cementing Kashmir's status as a romantic paradise. Three Romantic Musicals Shot in Kashmir Kashmir Ki Kali (1964): Directed by Shakti Samanta , this musical romance featured Shammi Kapoor wooing Sharmila Tagore amidst Kashmir's valleys, with R.D. Burman's melodies. ' Jab Jab Phool Khile ' (1965): Nanda and Shashi Kapoor 's love story bloomed in Kashmir's houseboats and gardens, with songs like 'Pardesiyon Se Na Ankhiyan Milana' enchanting audiences. Bobby (1973): Raj Kapoor's teenage romance starring Rishi Kapoor and Dimple Kapadia used Gulmarg's snowscapes for hits like 'Main Shayar To Nahin,' redefining youthful love. A Fading Cinematic Paradise By the late 1980s, Kashmir's security challenges halted Bollywood's pilgrimages. Switzerland and New Zealand replaced the valley, but none matched its magic. Bollywood Stars Share Easter Joy
