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Valley rises in Bollywood like Phoenix from the ashes of terror

HIGH ON BEAUTY: Scenes of No Fathers in Kashmir were shot at Srinagar & Badharwah in Chenab Valley

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From Vishal Bhardwaj’s Haider to Tiger Shroff’s Heropanthi, Bollywood has very strongly associated itself with Kashmir — agencies
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For a change, Bollywood is reimagining the paradise with a new feel and charm. From Ranbir Kapoor starrer Rockstar and Yeh Jawani Hai Deewani to Shah Rukh Khan's Jab Tak Hain Jaan to Abhishek Bachchan, Taapsee Pannu's Manmarziyan, Bollywood has been trying to revive its old bond with Kashmir.

The latest addition is Ashvin Kumar's No Fathers in Kashmir. After eight months, six screenings and seven hearings, No Fathers in Kashmir is all set to release on April 5 across the country.

No Fathers in Kashmir, according to the filmmaker, is the first authentic film that tells Kashmir the way it is. Based on a story of two teens looking for their disappeared fathers, No Fathers in Kashmir pulls no punches about the crisis of human rights in Kashmir. The teaser of the film was launched on March 5, and so far it has crossed close to one million views.

"How does one make a film about hope when its subject rouses emotions like fear and vengeance? The most difficult script I have ever attempted and it took three years to write. I wanted to shoot the film in Lolab, Kupwara in 2015, but by the time we arranged our funding Kupwara had become too unstable. So we moved to Tangmarg", said Ashvin , who has written, produced and directed the movie.

The film was finally filmed between Srinagar and Badharwah in Chenab Valley of Jammu division. It had a crew of mostly Kashmiris both in front of and behind the camera.

"It took a year of editing and re-editing to get the balance between emotions and politics just right. Then, we had to fight the ban that censors had imposed on us for almost another year. This has been a bruising, gruelling 5-year battle but here we are, finally", Ashvin said.

Kashmir, which was once a favourite destination for the filmmakers for movie shooting, became a no-go zone for Bollywood after the onset of militancy in 1990. Though some films were shot in Kashmir in the mid-1990s amid tight security, the Bollywood could not reconnect itself fully with Kashmir. A few years ago, Bollywood started rediscovering Kashmir again. From Saif Ali Khan starrer Phantom to Tiger Shroff starrer Heropanthi to Vishal Bhardwaj's Haider, Bollywood tried to reconnect with Kashmir once again.

Tourism planners feel cheap rates; breathtaking beauty and hassle-free permits are the biggest attractions for the filmmakers to shoot their movies again in the Kashmir valley. "A few days ago we participated in a function in Mumbai. We are encouraging Bollywood to shoot films in Kashmir. We are giving them permission in two-three days time", said Nisar Ahmad Wani, director of the tourism department, Kashmir.

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