Omar Abdullah condoles Yash Chopra's death, says Kashmir lost its best envoy

SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah tonight condoled the death of veteran filmmaker Yash Chopra and said in his demise the state had lost its best envoy of its scenic beauty.

In his condolence message, Omar recalled his recent meeting with Chopra in Leh during a film shooting.

"Its unfortunate news as Chopra ji always wanted to make Kashmir as a second home for Bollywood," the Chief Minister said in a statement.

"He was the best envoy of our state's natural beauty in the rest of the country and he always advocated Kashmir as a destination for shooting to many film makers," Omar said.

The chief minister said Chopra was here during last Eid to shoot for his movie ' Jab Tak Hai Jaan' starring Shah Rukh Khan.

"The movie will remain a part of the history of the state," the chief minister said. The film marked Chopra's return to film direction after a gap of nearly 10 years.

When Chopra had returned to Kashmir to shoot a film after 25 years in August, he also had a gift for the state - Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan on his first professional assignment in Kashmir. Khan plays an Army bomb disposal expert in 'Jab Tak Hai Jaan'.

Chopra, who had last captured the Kashmir Valley on-screen in Amitabh Bachchan-Rakhee starrer 'Kabhie Kabhie' in 1976, had later replaced Kashmir with Swiss Alps for his films as the region struggled with militancy.