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Kashmir tourism banks on Bollywood

Mukhtar Ahmad in Srinagar

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah on Wednesday hoped that Bollywood would give a boost to tourism by shooting more films in the valley.

Addressing the media after giving a clap to S K Films's Pukar on the magnificent Shankracharya hillock overlooking the serene Dal lake, Dr Abdullah said he was expecting more film units from Bombay and Madras to shoot in the state.

He hoped Hollywood too would come to Kashmir as "one of its units has already fixed a shooting schedule in Hyderabad this year".

He promised tight security arrangements for all the film units shooting in the valley.

This is the third film unit to shoot in Kashmir in two years.

As for militancy in the valley, he said, "We should not expect everything to stop in one go. We are optimistic that the situation in the state will improve gradually."

Asked if he would withdraw support to the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government at the Centre, he said, "It is not a bad government, but they have their own problems."

The producer of the film, Bonnie Kapoor said, "Kashmir presents the perfect setting for shooting a love story... Switzerland or Ooty are no match to the scenic splendour of Kashmir." He hoped many more units would flock to the valley for shooting.

On the security situation in Kashmir, he said, "There are problems everywhere, even in Mumbai. But given the hospitality, we hope to complete our shooting in the stipulated time frame."

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