Some Bollywood in Kashmir

M Aamir Khan

The year remained bleak for Kashmir tourism. The footfalls were on the lower side in the summer months even as efforts were made to woo back tourists. The message being: there’s life beyond stone-pelting and gunfights. However, nothing seemed to work till the state tourism department started an audio video promotional campaign on social media. Registering more than five million views, the video Warmest Place on Earth, which was shot using drones to capture the beauty of the Valley,  took the internet by storm. 

The Valley’s hospitality is captured well in the video, which was launched by the Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti.

The five-minute video portrayed theatre actor and director Bashir Bhawani as a local, who was mistaken for a driver by a tourist couple. Bhawani nevertheless took the tourists around the Valley and gave them a taste of the hospitality of the Kashmiris. The act particularly touched the hearts of Bollywood bigwigs like Karan Johar, Imtiaz Ali, Raveena Tandon and Alia Bhatt. “This short film captured the essence of Kashmir. The Warmest Place on Earth! Please watch!” Alia Bhatt tweeted while Raveena praised the state’s hospitality. Ranbir Kapoor, too, released a special video on his birthday. Singer Adnan Sami’s recent concert “Rhythm in Paradise” on the banks of Dal Lake, too, was a step in this direction.

The government is banking on Bollywood to give the tourism sector a push. The tourism department has also sent invites to Bollywood to restart its tryst with Kashmir.

“Kashmir is not only about violence. It is a lively place full of  art and tourism,”said Union Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju.

“Tourism has been a victim of negative portrayal of the state by television channels, which only highlight violence in the state,” said Mahmood A. Shah, director, Tourism.