Abhishek Kapoor had planned Fitoor, the Indian adaptation of Charles Dickens' Great Expectations, as a story set in the picturesque valley of Kashmir. But floods played havoc with those plans and it was decided that the film will be shot in Mumbai. But Fitoor is back where it belongs. It kicked off in Kashmir yesterday.

Gattu, as Abhishek is fondly called, put the film on floors with Aditya Roy Kapur, who has replaced Sushant Singh as the protagonist. Rekha, who plays a desi Miss Havisham, joins the unit this weekend. Katrina, who plays the romantic lead, will be juggling Fitoor with a three-month-long schedule of Anurag Basu's Jagga Jasoos starring beau Ranbir Kapoor.

Says Gattu, “Kashmir is an integral part of the film. We have kicked off the shoot with Aditya here. The first day happened to be his birthday and that makes it an auspicious start. Rekhaji and Katrina will join us shortly. Autumn is gorgeous here and we are hoping to have a great first schedule.“

Explaining his decision to shoot in the state which is still reeling from the after-effects of the September floods, Gattu says: “Kashmir has been my muse, it's synonymous with love and symbolises the many facets of the ever-changing emotion. The breathtaking beauty of the Valley will help bring out the nuances in the story as it intertwines with the plot to form the perfect backdrop.“

The director has fond memories of Kashmir which was a favourite destination for family vacations. Plus, Gattu grew up watching films shot in the Valley and wanted to “interpret“ its beauty in his own way. “The film will be shot in evergreen locales like the Dal Lake and Pahalgam. I am thrilled to be here,“ he concludes.