Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the nation on Thursday, 8 August, in his first speech since Union Home Minister Amit Shah announced the government’s decision to revoke Article 370, which grants special status to Jammu and Kashmir, on Monday 5 August. In his speech, he said that the move would allow Kashmiri youth to “lead the development work and take the region to new heights”. Noting that Jammu and Kashmir had potential to become a prime tourist hub, he urged Indian filmmakers to shoot their films in the Valley.
He said in his address,
“There was a time when Kashmir was the favourite destination of Bollywood filmmakers. There was no film on the region that was not shot there. I am confident that in future, even international films will be shot there. The entire world will come to Jammu and Kashmir to shoot their films,”Narendra Modi, Prime Minister
"I urge Bollywood, Telugu and Tamil film industries to come to Jammu and Kashmir and shoot your films here," Modi added.
Several Bollywood films have been shot on location in picturesque Kashmir. Most recently, SRK’s Jab Tak Hai Jaan, Salman Khan-starrer Bajrangi Bhaijaan, Ranbir Kapoor and Deepika Padukone’s Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewai, Shahid Kapoor’s Haider and Alia Bhatt-starrer Raazi.
There have been rumours that the abrogation of Article 370 and the present situation in Kashmir may stall the shoot of Shershaah, an upcoming biopic on Kargil War martyr Captain Vikram Batra starring Sidharth Malhotra. However, quashing all rumours the producers have issued a statement that Sidharth Malhotra and the team will shoot in Kargil from the first week of August as planned.
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