‘Kashmir has aesthetic appeal for shooting; Govt should woo filmmakers’

Poor infra, bad roads hampering tourism in Kashmir: Sanjay Khan

Bollywood director, Sanjay Khan, today said that poor infrastructure, bad roads were hampering the growth of tourism in Kashmir.
The yesteryear actor who is on a private tour to Kashmir in his interaction with mediapersons here today said the state government needed to get its act together to bring about development in the infrastructural and provide adequate facilities to the visitors.
“Things have changed a lot in Kashmir during last two decades. When we visited Kashmir 20 years ago, there were no frequent traffic congestions. But now the congested roads in the old city and other parts of Srinagar give trouble to the tourists,” Khan said.
On shooting of Bollywood movies in Kashmir, Khan said that government should incentivize the shooting of film here in order to woo filmmakers.
“Jammu and Kashmir provides complete package for shooting movies but state government should provide incentives to the filmmakers in order to lure them,” Khan said, adding that European countries are providing incentives to filmmakers for shooting in the tourist destinations there.
“The state government should interact and organize events where they can market Kashmir among the film industry in India,” Khan said.
However, Khan hailed the state government and tourism stakeholders for promoting in a big way the adventure tourism in Kashmir.
“I am quite impressed how adventure tourism has evolved in Kashmir and looking at the activities which we can carry out in Kashmir, I feel that this place will have an edge over other tourism destinations because of adventure tourism,” he said.
Actor-director Akbar Khan, who is accompanying his brother Sanjay Khan, described Kashmir as ‘aesthetical place’ for shooting movies.
“I have shot my last movie Taj Mahal in Kashmir and I am also working on a new project which is most likely to be shot here. It is always a great feeling to be in Kashmir – heaven on earth and I would urge my colleagues in Mumbai to come here and enjoy the beauty and serene of the valley,” he said.
Khan Brothers were accompanied by Director Tourism, Talat Pervaiz and Adventure tour operator, Rauf Tramboo at Royal Golf Spring.