J&K opens, DeM shuts doors on Bollywood

Kashmir’s date with Bollywood is under a cloud with the Dukhtaran-e-Millat (DeM) vowing to disrupt film shooting in the Valley. Just two days ago, the state government had urged the Hindi film industry to revive old bonds and resume shooting in Kashmir.

“The government is taking all measures to make the Mumbai film industry feel at home in Jammu and Kashmir. Our state is a perfect replacement for expensive locales likes Switzerland or New Zealand,” state minister for tourism and culture Nawang Rigzin Jora told FICCI Frames 2009 in Mumbai.

But DeM chief Aasiya Andrabi said,  “We will not allow any film shooting in Kashmir because it is another means to promote obscenity and immorality... filmmakers will find it difficult to shoot in Kashmir.” 

Aasiya feels the government was trying to finish Kashmir’s culture and ethos and promote flesh trade. “A few months ago a woman beautician was brought here to motivate school and college girls to become models. She was a state guest and her aim was to lure these girls into flesh trade,” she said.

The minister, however, said, “We are upgrading tourism infrastructure. We will play perfect hosts to filmmakers.”