Written by new-contact on Sep 20, 2012. Posted in On Location

Jammu and Kashmir Government promotes regional Indian location filming

The Government of Jammu and Kashmir in the northern tip of India has set up a new committee to promote the region as a filming location. Boosting film tourism will also be a prerogative of the new Film Tourism Promotion Committee.

Indian producer Yash Chopra recently filmed a Bollywood production in Kashmir with stars Shahrukh Khan, Katrina Kaif and Anushka Sharma, becoming the first production of its type to film in the region for years. Kashmir is a disputed territory and has been affected by an Islamist-led insurgency for the past two decades.

Talat Parvez is Director of Tourism for Kashmir and spoke to the KNS outlet about the Chopra shoot: “They were so convinced that they promised to be ambassadors of Kashmir’s beauty and hospitality and encourage more crews to shoot in the valley.

They were so convinced that they promised to be ambassadors of Kashmir’s beauty and hospitality and encourage more crews to shoot in the valley.

Talat Parvez, Director of Tourism for Kashmir

“We made permissions available to them, every department and authority went a step ahead to make them and their shooting convenient and comfortable.”

The Government considers the production evidence that peace is returning to Kashmir and wants to promote film tourism in the region as well. Bollywood location production can have a very real impact on local tourism visits and is one reason why many governments around the world have formed co-production agreements with India.

(Images: Nick Kent-Basham)