Kashmir valley is not only a tourist destination but also a favourite film shooting location among many a Bollywood film makers.The picturesque locale and beautiful scenery of Kashmir has always attracted Bollywood filmmakers. From Kashmir ki kali to jab tak hain jaan to haider, film makers have explored beauty of the state to its fullest since decades. Bollywood considers romance synonymous with Kashmir. The valley is considered to be a fitting backdrop for romantic movies. Many romantic Bollywood flicks have been shot in valley among which Kashmir ki kali, jungle, jab jab phool khile, kabhi kabhi, bobby, silsila are famous ones. Recently movies like jab tak hain jaan, ye jawani hain deewani, rockstar, haighway, haider, Bhajrangi baijaan have also been shot in kashmir.
Who can forget “Betaab valley ” of pahalgam in romanctic songs of movie “Betaab” or world famous Dal lake in “chand sa roshan chehra” of “Kashmir ki kali.” The song ‘Jiya Re’ of “Jab tak hain jaan” saw Anuskha Sharma dancing on a shikara, in the middle of the Dal Lake. The “madno” song of movie “lamhaa” was shot at various Mughal gardens in Srinagar. One of the recent Abhishek Kapoor directed movies, fitoor was shot in Nishat garden and banks of Dal lake.
Not only as a beautiful backdrop,Bollywood has, from time to time, made movies about Kashmir. Roja, Dilse, lamhaa, Tahaan, Mission Kashmir, Sikander are few movies where Kashmir was treated as a subject. Following are few movies shot in Kashmir in recent times.
Haider is considered one of the crucial movies set in Kashmir. This Vishal Bharadwaj directed movie was an adaptation of William Shakespeare’s tragedy Hamlet. The criticaly acclaimed song ‘Bismil’ from the movie was shot at the Martand Sun Temple of Kashmir. The temple dedicated to the Sun God is said to be built during the 8th century CE.
Yeh Jawani Hai Deewani: This coming of age love story with Ranbir Kapoor and Deepika Padukone as leads, had stills which were shot in Pahalgam. Pahalgam is one the most visited spots in the state. It holds a rich cover of vegetation, the dominant forest consisting mainly of conifers.
Bajrangi Bhaijaan: The much awaited Salman Khan-Kareena Kapoor starrer movie, was shot in certain notable locations of Kashmir, one of them being Sonmarg. Sonmarg is a hill station in the Ganderbal district of Jammu and Kashmir. This beautiful hill station lies amidst the majestic Himalyan Ranges and is thus, extremely scenic.
Fitoor: The Abhishek Kapoor directed venture, starring Aditya Roy Kapoor and Katrina Kaif, has parts that have been shot at the Nishat Bagh. Nishat Bagh is a terraced Mughal garden. It is built on the eastern side of the Dal Lake and is the second largest Mughal garden in Kashmir. The garden has twelve terraces which are very impressive.
Highway: Directed by Imtiaz Ali, portions of this Alia Bhatt starrer movie were shot at the Aru Valley of Kashmir. Known for its scenic meadows, Aru Valley is a peaceful trekking and camping site for those interested. During heavy snowfall, the Aru Valley is thronged with visitors inclined towards skiing and heliskiing.
