Bips flees Srinagar...

How was your shooting experience in Kashmir?
It was terribly traumatic for me, for the first few days. Safety for actresses is always an

Bipasha Basu. (TOI Photo) More Pics

issue. There was no dearth of security personnel here to look after us. But when the crowds descended on me, the security withdrew. I don't blame them. They didn't want to take a panga with the locals.

While the entire unit of Rahul Dholakia's Lamha stayed at the Oberoi hotel overlooking the Dal Lake, you moved to an undisclosed hotel for security reasons ?
Yes, there was too much unwanted and uncontrollable attention and too little protection. For the first time in my career I found myself vulnerable. It was just me, my hairdresser and a friend. Just three women in this hotel in a very troubled area.

When did you first realise that the situation in Kashmir was grim?
Within the first two days. We weren't allowed to shoot. The minute we'd step out of the hotel to head for the location the locals would crowd us, question our motives. They wanted to know what we were shooting and why we were shooting it. I don't blame them. The last thing they want is for the wrong picture of Kashmir to go out. But for us, especially me as a woman all alone in Kashmir, it got fairly frightening when day after day the shooting was disrupted.

When did the situation worsen?
When the security system just collapsed before my eyes. For the first three days I could shoot in Srinagar for barely half an hour. The locals would crowd and create a commotion every time I stepped out.