Bajrangi Bhaijaan to Ground Zero: 9 Bollywood films which showcased Kashmir’s gorgeous landscape

The picturesque Kashmir was recently ravaged by brutal terror attack at Pahalgam. At least 27 people died and several were left injured when terrorist opened fire on tourists. With its picturesque valleys and breathtaking snow-capped mountains, Kashmir has always been a hot tourist spot and served as the perfect location for Bollywood films. While there was a lull in film shooting in the 1990s and early 2000s due to militancy and political turmoil in the state, the pace picked up in post 2010. Several films have been based and shot in Kashmir in the recent years. Take a look:

Vishal Bhardwaj’s political thriller was based midst the insurgency-hit Kashmir in 1995. Almost all the important landmarks of Srinagar and some interior parts of Kashmir featured in the film which had Shahid Kapoor in the lead along with Tabu, Shraddha Kapoor, Kay Kay Menon and Irrfan Khan playing key roles.

Shah Rukh Khan played a bomb diffuser expert army officer posted in Kashmir in Yash Chopra’s Swansong Jab Tak Hai Jaan. The song ‘Jiya Re Jiya’ featuring Anushka Sharma and SRK showcased the beauty of Dal lake and the overall Kashmir valley.

Alia Bhatt played a Kashmiri girl who turns spy for India as she is married into an family of army officers in Pakistan. Directed by Meghna Gulzar, the film also featured Vicky Kaushal and Jaideep Ahlawat in key roles and a certain portion of the film was shot in Kashmir including the ‘Dilbaro’ song.

While the characters Rocky and Rani were based in Delhi, a portion had Rani travelling to Kashmir for work as a journalist. The song ‘Tum Kya Mile’ featuring Ranveer Singh and Alia Bhatt was shot in Gulmarg. The film was directed by Karan Johar.

Kabir Khan’s film about an Indian Hindu man rescuing a young mute Pakistani girl and reuniting her with her family struck a chord with one and all. Munni, played by Harshaali Malhotra, belongs to POK and Salman Khan played Bajrangi. Certain portions of the film were shot in the Kashmir Valley in places like Sonamarg and Zoji La. The film's climax was shot at Sonmarg near the Thajiwas glacier (at 10,000 ft above sea level) with around 7,000 people.

Based on the Kargil war and Captain Vikram Batra’s life, Shershaah’s war and insurgency scenes were shot in Kashmir. The fil,m directed by Vishnuvardhan, featured Sidharth Malhotra as Captain Batra. The film is hailed for accurately depicting the emotional turmoil of the army during the Kargil war.

Director Sajid Ali took the classic story of star-crossed lovers Laila and Majnu to Kashmir in his film Laila Majnu. Featuring Avinash Tiwari and Triptii Dimri, the film was extensively shot in Srinagar, including Chai Jaai, a boutique tea room, and the Dar-es-Salaam hotel on Nagreen Lake. Certain portions were shot in Pahalgam village.

Filmmaker Abhishek Kapoor’s Hindi adaptation of The Great Expectations was set in Kashmir. The Katrina Kaif, Aditya Roy Kapoor starrer was shot in Nishat Bag near Dal Lake in Srinagar. While the film primarily features Srinagar and its surroundings, it also utilized other locations within Kashmir like meadows, camping sites, and snow-covered hills.

Emraan Hashmi’s latest release is a military biopic set in Kashmir. The unit shot portions of the climax in Baramulla, a town in Kashmir. Certain shots of Dal Lake and other areas of Srinagar also feature in the film.