Return of Bollywood

18/02/2021

The Jammu and Kashmir Government believes that return of Bollywood to Kashmir which used to be their favourite destination for shooting in sixties, seventies and eighties before onset of militancy in 1989 will encourage tourism and send message of peace in the Union Territory especially in the Valley. With a view to encourage national and international film makers in Jammu and Kashmir, the Union Territory Government will shortly announce comprehensive Film Policy, which will be first of its kind in J&K under which a number of sops including free of cost security arrangements, financial assistance etc will be offered for shooting. "The draft Film Policy is almost ready. However, the Jammu and Kashmir Government has decided to include suggestions of top Bollywood filmmakers in the Policy. The draft Film Policy is likely to be released after including suggestions of the filmmakers to whom Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha the other day in Mumbai. In the draft Film Policy, the Jammu and Kashmir Government is considering to provide free of cost security to the filmmakers till completion of their shooting in the Union Territory. The filmmakers will be provided security right from start of their shooting till culmination without charges. The step is aimed at boosting morale of the film unit including their Actors, Producers and Directors.
Government will also offer local talent to assist in film making.However, the Government has conveyed to the Bollywood that they are likely to include more suggestions offered by them in the draft Film Policy before finalizing it. The Governmentis open to the suggestions from the concerned quarters. It, however, is expecting to receive the suggestions within a week so that draft Film Policy is cleared followed by the final Policy well before the onset of summer when filmmakers prefer shooting in Jammu and Kashmir. Last year it was virtually zero tourist season because of COVID pandemic and even annual pilgrimage of Shri Amarnath Ji couldn't be conducted. Mata Vaishno Devi Ji yatra was also at its lowest. Prior to that, the tourists were very few because of abrogation of special status of Jammu and Kashmir, a fact which the Government has also admitted in the Parliament. With return of near normalcy after abrogation of special status, the Government is hopeful that there will be influx of tourists in Jammu and Kashmir including pilgrim tourists. The Government is making arrangements anticipating six lakh yatris for Shri Amarnath Ji pilgrimage.

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