Kashmir banking on Shah Rukh Khan

SRK arrives in Kashmir for shooting

Srinagar, Aug 27 (IBNS)

Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan arrived in Kashmir on Monday amid tight security to shoot for his upcoming untitled movie under Yash Raj Films banner.

This is his maiden visit to the Kashmir Valley in his career which spans over two decades.

However, youths of the Valley were disappointed when they were unable to catch a glimpse of their favourite star as he used chopper to fly to picturesque Pahalgam.

"I was waiting outside Srinagar Airport for two hours but he (Shah Rukh Khan) left for Pahalgam in a chopper. I like other youths present here felt disappointed." Qaiser Hamid, a SRK fan told IBNS.

Soon after arriving at Srinagar airport Monday morning, Shah Rukh left for south Kashmir's Pahalgam hill station in a chopper where filmmaker Yash Chopra and his crew including actress Anuksha Sharma are camping since last five days.

Before arriving in Kashmir, Shah Rukh was shooting in Ladakh.

According to reports, he reached Pahalgam Monday morning and on his arrival, security was beefed up in and around the hotel where he checked in.

The shooting for this movie was started at Aru, Pahalgam soon after the arrival of Shah Rukh Khan. People in large number thronged there to have a glimpse of the Bollywood actor.

A person from the production house told on condition of anonymity that the crew will stay at Pahalgam for over a week and after that it will move to the heart of Srinagar city.

"The crew along with Shah Rukh Khan will reach the famous Dal Lake after a few days where the shooting for this untitled movie is scheduled to take place," Nazir Ahmed, a close associate of Yash Chopra, told IBNS.

A top police officer told CNS that it will be a tough time for law enforcement agencies when the Bollywood actor will visit Srinagar for shooting.

"All arrangements have already been finalized and we hope everything will go as per plan," he said.

In this untitled movie, Shah Rukh is said to be playing the role of an army officer named Samar. It is a love-triangle starring Anushka Sharma and Katrina Kaif.

In the recent past, actor Sanjay Dutt had arrived in Kashmir Valley to shoot for his movie 'Lamhey'.

"While shooting at Zero-Bridge in Srinagar, Dutt was over-whelmed to see the response of the people towards Bollywood crew," said Imran Nabi, who was present at the shooting.

Ranbir Kapoor had recently visited Pahalgam for his movie 'Rockstar'.

Aamir Khan also shot for the Incredible India campaign in Srinagar earlier this year.

Kashmir and Bollywood were once termed as supplementary and complimentary to each other as most of the movies in the 70's were shot at picturesque locations of the Valley.

"Kashmir is a paradise and you don't need artificial set here. God has created it by His own hands," Rishi Kapoor had said during his recent visit to the Valley.

'Kashmir Ki Kali', 'Junglee', 'Andaz', 'Mere Sanam' 'Roti' 'Jhukh Gaya Aasman' 'Arzoo' 'Kabhi Kabhie' and many more superhit films were shot in Kashmir.

The Hindi film industry used to visit Kashmir frequently but due to sudden rise in militancy during 1990's, this practice stopped and Bollywood preferred Himachal to Kashmir. (IBNS)