After Manali, Lahaul a go-to place for filmmakers

Dipender Manta

Mandi, March 30

After Manali, the Lahaul valley has become a popular destination for Bollywood filmmakers because of its scenic beauty.

A movie titled ‘Sarzameen’, starring actor Arbaaz Khan, was recently shot in an ancient mud house situated at Thangthang near Shooling village in the tribal district of Lahaul and Spiti.

Bollywood actor Arjun Kapoor visited the Lahaul valley for a film shoot in April last year. After the opening of the Atal Tunnel on the Manali-Leh highway, the Lahaul valley is gradually emerging as a preferred destination for shooting films.

Residents of the Lahaul valley, especially those associated with the tourism sector, are delighted with the shoots done by the Hindi film industry.

Talking to The Tribune, Shivdas, who is running an ancient mud house as a homestay at Thangthang, said, “The visit of prominent actors like Arbaaz Khan and Arjun Kapoor to the Lahaul valley for film shoots is making this place popular at the national level. Showcasing the scenic view of any place in a film gives considerable promotion to that particular area, which benefits the tourism industry.”

Rigzin Heyreppa, president, homestay owners in the Lahaul valley, said, “We are hopeful that the film shoots here will prove beneficial for the local tourism industry just the way it turned out to be for Shimla and Manali in the past.”