Pahalgam, Gulmarg, Sonamarg, Srinagar: The Kashmir you've mostly seen on screen

For Bollywood, Kashmir has often meant snowy peaks, chinars, and shikaras. The scenic sites of Pahalgam, Sonamarg and Gulmarg are among the most frequently filmed locations in Indian cinema. Be it the likes of Roja to the recently released Ground Zero, the valley has been woven into our filmi narratives – often becoming a character in itself. Even this year, multiple productions were lined up for shoots in Pahalgam. However, in the wake of the recent terror attack in Baisaran, film shoots might be affected. We revisit the films that were shot in these scenic locales.



Scenes from Tanaav were shot in Srinagar, Pahalgam and Sonamarg
Talking about shooting in Kashmir, Sudhir Mishra, who shot his series Tanaav there, told us recently that people were really welcoming, “I just love Kashmiris. They are really compassionate people. The people in Kashmir are really warm, but they are also very sad, so you have to work with that rhythm. I tried to bring out the human aspect. After making Tanaav, I understand Kashmir better. I emotionally connected with Kashmir through the characters. When I direct, I have to feel the pain of the mother, the brother, the son. Conflict zones are complex.”
Speaking about films on Kashmir and how he managed to avoid controversies while making a series about the region, he says, “Most films about Kashmir are made by outsiders, and I don’t think many of them have a deep enough connection to the place in real ways. If your purpose is not to offend, and you approach things without bias – seeing things as they are – I don’t think anyone gets offended.”

‘Laila Majnu was filmed in Khilanmarg, Pahalgam, Srinagar’
The beauty of Kashmir was the backdrop for not only classics such as Kashmir Ki Kali (1964) and Kabhi Kabhie (1976), but the 2018 release Laila Majnu. A staff member at a cinema in Srinagar says, “When we re-released Laila Majnu last year, it was houseful for months. The film has shown the culture and tradition of Kashmir. Kashmiri youngsters could relate to it, and they see the film as their own. It was shot in Nishat Bagh, Zero Bridge, Nigeen Lake, Khilanmarg and Pahalgam, and people from across Kashmir came to watch the film.”

‘More than 80% of Ground Zero was shot in Kashmir’
Arhan Bagati, co-producer of Ground Zero, shares, “Initially, many locations were being discussed for Ground Zero. My reaction was, ‘Why not Kashmir?’ Because it is a film set in Kashmir. I thought the authentic way to do the film was by shooting in Kashmir and going to actual locations. We went to the locations where the encounter happened. That authenticity can’t be created with CGI. More than 80% of Ground Zero was shot in Kashmir. The administration was extremely helpful, the LG supported it, and the J&K Police was indispensable through the entire process – not just showing us where the actual encounter happened, but also in giving us access to the locations.”

The valley through Indian cinema in the recent years
• In 2014, Fitoor was shot at Srinagar’s Dal Lake and Pahalgam
• In 2014, Alia Bhatt’s Highway was also shot in Pahalgam’s Aru Valley
• The qawwali scene of Bajrangi Bhaijaan was shot at Aishmuqam Shrine. The film’s end was shot in the Baisaran Valley
• Ground Zero was filmed across Kashmir
• Shah Rukh Khan’s Jab Tak Hai Jaan was shot in Betaab Valley, around the Lidder River, Aru Valley, and Baisaran. The Jiya Re sequence was filmed in and around Betaab Valley
• Ranbir Kapoor and Deepika Padukone shot segments of Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani (2013) in Pahalgam

Gurez, Machil also open up for filming: J&K Film Policy 2024
In recent years, Ground Zero, Sam Bahadur, and Laila Majnu were all filmed in Pahalgam. The Jammu and Kashmir Film Policy 2024 aimed to give filmmakers easier access to the region. It opened up scenic areas closer to the Line of Control (LoC) including Gurez, Machil, and Tangdhar for the first time in several decades. “A well-nurtured film industry can be a major source of wealth creation, employment generation, and an effective tool and platform for the preservation of culture and the expression of the people of Jammu & Kashmir,” it states.