10 films that will inspire you to pack your bags and travel to Kashmir today!

 

The tourism of Jammu and Kashmir has come a long way over the years. With its picturesque locale and beautiful scenery, Kashmir has been a prominent part of Bollywood for ages.

Bollywood’s romance with Kashmir dates back to movies like ‘Silsila’, ‘Kashmir Ki kali’, ‘Junglee’, etc and continues till date. We bring to you a list of movies that you probably didn’t know were shot in the popular locations of Kashmir:

Jab Takk Hai Jaan: This Shah Rukh Khan, Anushka Sharma and Katrina Kaif starrer contained portions which were shot in Kashmir. The song ‘Jiya Re’ saw Anuskha Sharma dancing on a shikara, in the middle of the Dal Lake. The Dal Lake is one of Kashmir’s most popular tourist locations. It is often referred to as the ‘Jewel in the crown of Kashmir’ for its evident beauty.

Yeh Jawani Hai Deewani: This coming of age love story with Ranbir Kapoor and Deepika Padukone as leads, had stills which were shot in Pahalgam. The movie ran into a controversy with the Jammu and Kashmir tourism when it referred to Pahalgam as Manali. Pahalgam is one the most visited spots in the state. It holds a rich cover of vegetation, the dominant forest consisting mainly of conifers.

The song ‘Katiya Karun’ from ‘Rockstar’ was also shot here.

Bajrangi Bhaijaan: The much awaited Salman Khan-Kareena Kapoor starrer movie, was shot in certain notable locations of Kashmir, one of them being Sonmarg. Salman Khan and Kareena posted pictures on their official Twitter accounts from their shooting schedule in Sonmarg. Sonmarg is a hill station in the Ganderbal district of Jammu and Kashmir. This beautiful hill station lies amidst the majestic Himalyan Ranges and is thus, extremely scenic.

Fitoor: The Abhishek Kapoor directed venture, starring Aditya Roy Kapoor and Katrina Kaif, has parts that have been shot at the Nishat Bagh. Nishat Bagh is a terraced Mughal garden. It is built on the eastern side of the Dal Lake and is the second largest Mughal garden in Kashmir. The garden has twelve terraces which are very impressive.

The lead of the movie ‘Fitoor’ Aditya Roy Kapoor was recently spotted shooting at this beautiful garden.

Haider: Counted amongst one of the most crucial movies set in Kashmir, this Vishal Bharadwaj directed movie was an adaptation of William Shakespeare’s tragedy Hamlet. The criticaly acclaimed song ‘Bismil’ from the movie was shot at the Martand Sun Temple of Kashmir. The temple dedicated to the Sun God is said to be built during the 8th century CE. The Martand temple was built on top of a plateau from where one can view the entire Kashmir valley.

Phantom: This upcoming Kabir Khan venture starring Saif Ali Khan is set against the background of terrorism. Portions of this movie have been set in Gulmarg,a hill station in Kashmir.A popular skiing destination, Gulmarg attracts a string of tourists from around the globe every year.This serene town is within the Himalayas and falls within miles of the Line of Control between India and Pakistan.

Highway: Directed by Imtiaz Ali, portions of this Alia Bhatt starrer movie were shot at the Aru Valley of Kashmir. Known for its scenic meadows, Aru Valley is a peaceful trekking and camping site for those interested. During heavy snowfall, the Aru Valley is thronged with visitors inclined towards skiing and heliskiing.

Saat Khoon Maaf: The film based on the short story ‘Susanna’s Seven Husbands’ by Ruskin Bond, had Priyanka Chopra as its lead. Portions with Irfan Khan and Priyanka, were shot at Shalimar Bagh, Kashmir. Built by Mughal Emperor Jahangir for his wife Nur Jahan, in 1619, Shalimar is the largest Mughal garden in Jammu and Kashmir.

Aap Ki Kasam: Remember the Rajesh Khanna-Mumtaz starrer Aap ki Kasam? The very famous song ‘Jai Jai Shiv Shankar’ from the movie was shot at the Shankaracharya Temple of Kashmir. Dedicated to Lord Shiva, this temple is an important pilgrim spot for Buddhists too. With 243 stairs to the temple vicinity, journey to this complex is considered to be tough yet fruitful.

Lamhaa: The action thriller starring Bipasha Basu, Sanjay Dutt and Kunal Kapoor as leads, is set against the background of the issues of Kashmir. The melodious song ‘Madno Re’ was shot at the Pari Mahal of Kashmir. Depicting Islamic architecture, this structure was built during the reign of the then Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan. The Pari mahal is said to be built on the ruins of a Buddhist Monastery.