The Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, made an important announcement in his speech today regarding film shoots in the Kashmir valley. After the dilution of Article 370 and the bifurcation of the state, the PM announced that not just Bollywood, film industries from across the world will be allowed to shoot in the valley.
Although films have been shot in Kashmir since the 1960s, it was only between the 1980s and 90s decades that there was a ban on film shoots due to increased militancy. Now, after the PM's announcement, it's clear that both the union territories - of Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh, will be thrown open to filmmakers from not just Hindi cinema, but also from the South film industries.
Here's a look at some of the most popular Hindi films that have been shot in the valley:
Kashmir Ki Kali (1964)
The romantic film starring superstar Shammi Kapoor and Sharmila Tagore in the lead roles showcased the valley's beauty through out the 168 minutes. Produced and directed by Shakti Samanta, the film was inspired from the 1961 American film Come September. Two tracks from the film - Yeh Chaand Sa Raushan Chehra and Deewana Hua Badal were shot around the beautiful Dal Lake in Srinagar.
Roja (1992)
This Mani Ratnam film is one of the most memorable productions to have been shot in Kashmir. Cinematographer Santosh Sivan's camera work showcased the snow-capped mountain range of the valley like never before. Although the film's narrative was a commentary on the issue of militancy during that decade, the Tamil film was a superhit in all aspects.
Dil Se... (1998)
Another gem from Mani Ratnam, this film captured the Ladakh region. Although it was part of the Jammu and Kashmir state back then, the Ladakh region wasn't really a preferred spot for film shoots. But with Dil Se... the audience and other filmmakers were exposed to the stunning locales of the region. The songs Tu Hi Tu Satrangi Re featuring the lead actors Shah Rukh Khan and Manisha Koirala shot across different locations in the region remains a classic!
Mission Kashmir (2000)
One of Hrithik Roshan's memorable films, Mission Kashmir by Vidhu Vinod Chopra dealt with terrorism and stories of children living in conflict zones. Shot across Kashmir, the film also showcased the popular Hazratbal Shrine that's located in Srinagar. The film was also screened at the Stockholm International Film Festival and it was a critical and commercial success in India.
Haider (2014)
Vishal Bharadwaj's modern-day adaptation of William Shakespeare's tragedy Hamlet is one of his finest films. Shahid Kapoor played the title role, Tabu and Kay Kay Menon were the other actors in lead roles. Although the narrative is based on Hamlet, it is set against the backdrop of missing persons from the valley. The song 'Bismil' picturised on Shahid was shot at the Martand Sun Temple in Kashmir and is one of the most memorable songs from the film.
No Fathers In Kashmir (2019)
Directed by Oscar-nominated filmmaker Ashvin Kumar, this film was entirely shot in Kashmir over two years. The film is a love story, a tale of two millennials who fall in love and are torn apart from each other while they are looking for their missing fathers in the valley. The film ran into trouble with the Censor Board over certification, and had been banned. The filmmaker was then asked to agree to an ‘A’ rating with cuts for the ban to be lifted. But Ashvin filed a petition with the Film Certification Appellate Tribunal (FCAT) and No Fathers In Kashmir got a ‘UA’ certificate.