The Valley beckons Bollywood

SRINAGAR, NOV 3: They are in love but there's a hitch. The girl, fascinated by the world outside, wants to go abroad. Determined to hold ...

SRINAGAR, NOV 3: They are in love but there8217;s a hitch. The girl, fascinated by the world outside, wants to go abroad. Determined to hold her back, the boy insists his country is much more beautiful. Beauty and melody then unfold in the breathtaking meadows, pastures and waterways of Kashmir Valley. Ace director Mani Ratnam is watching all this through the camera in the Dachigam National Park as he records song sequences for his Tamil love story, Allipadi Breaking the Waves.

Last time Mani Ratnam8217;s encounter with Kashmir was in the ether. In Roja, which dealt with the militancy in the Valley, he preferred to stay out of Kashmir, recreating the State elsewhere. The film because of its controversial topic had led to a lot of resentment in the Valley. It8217;s a measure of the State8217;s return to normalcy, perhaps as far as Bollywood is concerned, that the director changed his mind this time. And he is planning to return in a big way to shoot an entire film, say sources. Mani Ratnam himself remains tight-lippedthough.

8220;We have come here to get some colour, especially the fall colours,8221; a crew member told The Indian Express. All that Mani Ratnam was willing to disclose was that the film did not deal with the Kashmir problem. 8220;He is a first-timer in Kashmir; let him overcome his anxiety with subsequent visits,8221; said a senior official in the tourism department, arguing that there was still some fear of shooting films in the State.

Mani Ratnam was not the first to come after Kargil happened. Vidhu Vinod Chopra was here earlier. In the midst of a tourism boom, the outbreak of the Kargil war had led to cancellation of shooting by two major film companies, leaving the State Government wringing its hands over the investments made to attract film units and build their confidence. But now Mani Ratnam has brought the smiles back.

8220;It seems big Bollywood banners have finally taken up the challenge to return to their old favourite. Not only is it cheap to shoot in Kashmir when compared to similar locations inSwitzerland and other West European countries but they also love the State which makes them come back,8221; says Nazir Bakshi, president, Travel Agents8217; Association of Kashmir. Bakhshi, who has hosted 750 big banner films in the State prior to the turmoil, recollects the summer of 1985 when 25 Bollywood units were shooting simultaneously on a single day.

The State had pulled itself out of the morass this year and Kargil had actually interrupted what was believed to be the best year for the tourism industry the backbone of this financially-crippled State. Within a span of three days, around 30,000 tourists fled the Valley, causing all-round despair.

But now with the return of Bollywood the mood is upbeat. 8220;True,8221; says Commissioner-Secretary, Tourism, Parvez Dewan, 8220;we are happy now that they have started coming on their own and spending money as well. Film units arrive and the private sector takes care of them. We State Government only make sure we are extra courteous.8221;

Muzamil Jaleel

Muzamil Jaleel is a Deputy Editor at The Indian Express and is widely recognized as one of India’s most authoritative voices on Jammu & Kashmir, national security, and internal affairs. With a career spanning over 30 years, he has provided definitive on-the-ground reportage from the heart of the Kashmir conflict, bearing witness to historic political transitions and constitutional shifts. Expertise and Investigative Depth Muzamil’s work is characterized by a rare combination of ground-level immersion and high-level constitutional analysis. His expertise includes: Conflict & Geopolitics: Decades of reporting on the evolution of the Kashmir conflict, the Indo-Pak peace process, and the socio-political dynamics of the Himalayan region. Constitutional Law: Deep-dive analysis of Article 370 and Article 35A, providing clarity on the legal and demographic implications of their abrogation in 2019. Human Rights & Accountability: A relentless investigator of state and non-state actors, uncovering systemic abuses including fake encounters and the custodial death of political workers. International War Reporting: Beyond South Asia, he provided on-the-spot coverage of the final, decisive phase of the Sri Lankan Civil War in 2009. Landmark Exposés & Impact Muzamil’s reporting has repeatedly forced institutional accountability and shaped national discourse: The Kashmir Sex Scandal (2006): His investigative series exposed a high-profile exploitation nexus involving top politicians, bureaucrats, and police officers, leading to the sacking and arrest of several senior officials. Fake Encounters: His reports blew the lid off cases where innocent civilians were passed off as "foreign terrorists" by security forces for gallantry awards. SIMI Investigations: He conducted a massive deep-dive into the arrests of SIMI members, using public records to show how innocuous religious gatherings were often labeled as incriminating activities by investigative agencies. The Amarnath Land Row: Provided critical context to the 2008 agitation that polarized the region and altered its political trajectory. Over the years, Muzamil has also covered 2002 Gujarat riots, Bhuj earthquake, assembly elections in Bihar for Indian Express. He has also reported the peace process in Northern Ireland, war in Sri Lanka and national elections in Pakistan for the paper. Awards and Fellowships His "Journalism of Courage" has been honored with the industry's most prestigious accolades: Four Ramnath Goenka Awards: Recognized for J&K Reportage (2007), On-the-Spot Reporting (2009), and Reporting on Politics and Government (2012, 2017). Kurt Schork Award: From Columbia University for international journalism. Sanskriti Award: For excellence in Indian journalism and literature. IFJ Tolerance Prize: For his empathetic and nuanced reporting in South Asia. International Fellowships: Served as a visiting scholar at UC Berkeley and worked with The Guardian, The Observer, and The Times in London. He has also received Chevening fellowship and a fellowship at the Institute of Social Studies, Hague, Netherlands. Professional Presence Current Location: New Delhi (formerly Bureau Chief, Srinagar). Education: Master’s in Journalism from Kashmir University. Social Media: Follow him for field insights and rigorous analysis on X (Twitter) @MuzamilJALEEL. ... Read More