Kashmir’s voice is back on screen. The Songs of Paradise, inspired by the legendary Raj Begum, is winning praise across India, celebrating the valley’s stories, music, and timeless beauty.
For decades, the region was remembered in cinema through frames of romance and snow. Discord dimmed that light. Now, the cameras are back, and so is Kashmir’s role as the cinematic landscape.
This revival is the result of a carefully designed film policy and the confidence of record-breaking tourism.
Together, they have created jobs, revived cultural memory, and repositioned Kashmir as both an economic engine and a creative hub.
The numbers speak for themselves.
Since the film policy was introduced in 2021, more than 300 films and web series have been shot in Jammu and Kashmir. Over a hundred productions wrapped in 2023 alone.
Shah Rukh Khan brought Dunki here. Aamir Khan chose the valley for Laal Singh Chaddha. Ajay Devgn staged the action of Singham Again in Srinagar’s Lal Chowk.
The new Film Policy-2024 builds on this momentum. Backed by a ₹500-crore Film Development Fund over five years, it promises streamlined permissions within 30 days, capped cash subsidies for projects that shoot at least 20 days in the valley, and bonus incentives for award-winning films. Foreign filmmakers are eligible too, provided they clear security checks.
This clarity and predictability are as valuable as the money itself for a region once weighed down by redtape and rigmarole.
For Kashmiris, the return of cinema carries emotional meaning as well.
The valley once defined the grammar of Indian film: the snowy orchards of Kashmir Ki Kali, the romantic shikaras of Jab Jab Phool Khile. Strife shut down that chapter for decades.
To see crews in Gulmarg, Pahalgam, or Srinagar is to witness that cultural inheritance being claimed again. It is also to watch a new generation find livelihoods in industries absent for years.
Tourism has surged alongside cinema. Jammu and Kashmir recorded 2.35 crore tourist visits in 2024, up from 2.11 crore the year before. The Kashmir division alone welcomed nearly 35 lakh visitors, including over 43,000 foreign tourists. That is a dramatic leap from just 1,600 in 2021.
The growth is visible in the landmarks that sustain the tourist economy.
The Gulmarg Gondola carried over a million riders in 2024, generating more than ₹100 crore in revenue. Srinagar hosted its first international marathon in October, drawing 1,700 participants from a dozen countries.
These milestones reveal a valley that is not only safer but confident in its ability to host global events.
