Now a single window permission within seven days for shooting in Kashmir

Srinagar may not have opened up its cinema theatres yet, but the Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, recently made a visit to the headquarters of entertainment, Mumbai. He met some of Bollywood's top stars and producers, inviting, encouraging and assuring them of his government's full support if they decided to shoot their films in Kashmir.

Kashmir, over the years, has been a victim of the combination of events that have taken place and the disproportionate disruption in perception that has led to the fall of tourists traveling to the beautiful valley . It is estimated that more than about 50% of people living there directly or indirectly are dependent on tourism and thus, if the number of tourists come down, many livelihood are affected as a result.

While films like Haider and Highway shot there last year, Bajrangi Bhaijaan is currently being shot there.

Vashu Bhagnani was amongst the first to accept the invitation of the CM and decided to make a visit to Srinagar with two of his lead actors of his upcoming satire Welcome To Karachi son Jackky Bhagnani and the stunning Lauren Gottlieb to promote his film.



While Kashmir is often linked to our neighbour Pakistan, often for the wrong reasons, the only thing common between Welcome To Karachi and being welcomed into Kashmir was the uncanny similarity in the name 'W2K'.

When Vashu Bhagnani was asked his reasons for coming to Kashmir, he said, "I will come here to even promote my sequel ­ Welcome To London."