SRINAGAR, MAY 23: Bollywood is rediscovering Kashmir again, thanks to J&K Film Policy.
Film crews are making a beeline to Kashmir. People are excited over the return of Bollywood which has been a favorite destination of filmmakers in the ’70s and ’80. From ‘Kashmir Ki Kali’ to ‘Kabhi Kabhi’, many top-notch movies were extensively shot in the valley.
“This will bring in enormous profits for us,” said Ghulam Ahmad, a driver by profession while appreciating the government for launching its film policy envisaging the creation of a vibrant film ecosystem for all stakeholders.
India is a country where people live and breathe Bollywood; shooting movies, advertisements, serials, and series become a source of the economy from Ponny walla to hotelier to artist of a place beside a powerful tool for tourism promotion as the locales used in big hits see a significant boost in tourist arrivals soon after the films’ release.
“This is the reason J&K government is wooing large production houses to shoot their big projects and offering fiscal incentives to the filmmakers,” an official said. “The Government has been making an earnest bid to woo back movie czars to the J&K.”
Before militancy in Kashmir, Bollywood wove its celluloid dreams in the sylvan settings of Kashmir which were one of the most sought-after destinations, and filmmakers were saved from going abroad for lush expanses and snow-covered mountains for their outdoor shoots.
The Jammu & Kashmir Film Development Council (JKFDC) has taken several initiatives to promote the UT as a leading destination for shooting and production of all feature and non-feature content films, digital content, and television shows.
The list of deliverables for producers of incentivized films would include the incorporation of the logo of the Jammu & Kashmir Film Development Council, proof of which shall be enclosed along with the documents for subsidy.
According to the Film Policy, the Government of Jammu & Kashmir is identifying catalogs and developing promising potential shooting locations that have aesthetic and cinematic appeal.
“These locations will be developed in synergy with the Tourism Department and private investors. The Tourism department will, regularly, identify and develop the places having the abundant backdrop of natural beauty, enriched cultural traditions, and historical monuments in the UT for outdoor shooting besides ensuring their wide publicity through short films, brochures, and other publicity material. Special emphasis will be laid on motivating the private sector for setting up of hotels, motels, restaurants and camping facilities at these locales,” it reads.
The Policy also lays a thrust on harnessing the local talent in the field of movie-making in J&K and creating employment opportunities for the youth in the field.
For this, a complete database of the available local talent in J&K is being prepared for hosting on the website enabling the filmmakers interested in shooting their film in the UT to utilize their services.
“Since every film production is the meeting place for creative artists in the field of dance, film fashion, acting, choreography, and advertisement, it will open new avenues of employment for the youth of J&K. Besides, there is also a requirement of people adept in cinematic tools like camera, editing, sound recording, set designing, lighting, etc,” it reads.
Opening avenues for the youth, the framing of the Jammu and Kashmir Film Policy has now made it very convenient for the region’s talent to work in the film industry. While promoting the scenic beauty of the union territory (UT), the policy envisages providing a platform for the local talent to prove themselves on the national level.
The new film policy of Jammu and Kashmir has generated fresh hope among local artists that the policy would generate employment opportunities for them and rejuvenate old connections with Bollywood when filmmakers would make a beeline to the beautiful locales of the valley.
The framing of Film Policy reflects the commitment of the present administration in J&K to support filmmakers, and provide work opportunities to local talent which relied completely on Doordarshan and Radio where most of the work for the artists has stopped.
Meanwhile, the Srinagar city will witness first of its kind National Film Festival of Jammu & Kashmir (NFFJK), a grand event to be organized by J&K Film Development Council (JKFDC) in association with the National Film Development Corporation (NFDC) in Srinagar from June 15 to 20th June 2022.
The idea behind this film festival is to highlight the film, music, and creative ecosystem in J&K, along with the natural and socio-cultural beauty that Jammu and Kashmir has been blessed with, to the world.
Indian filmmakers are invited to submit their original films – fiction, documentary or shorts, and music videos–for the 1st National Film Festival of Jammu & Kashmir.
