Kabir Khan on how Salman Khan broke the myth of Kashmir being terror-infested PS: His mere presence boosted tourism in the area!
Subhash K Jha (DNA; May 27, 2015)


“Everywhere that we shot — Pahalgam, Sonmarg, Gulmarg — all the hotels were booked before we reached. People in Kashmir already knew Salman was coming,” says Kabir.

He adds, “I am told that nothing of this sort has been witnessed before. Many popular Bollywood stars have shot in Kashmir recently. But nothing compares with the crowds that gathered to watch Salman. It was sheer madness.”

However, he adds, “Not once in 40 days was our shooting disrupted. Of course, the locals were very excited. They gathered in thousands to see Salman wherever we shot. But the crowds never got restless or aggressive. If they unknowingly crossed the line, we just had to ask them to step back and they did so immediately. They just wanted to look and meet Salman and Kareena.”

Says Kabir, “Salman got an offer to be the brand ambassador for Kashmir. But he doesn’t need to hold an official position to get things moving. In 40 days, he worked wonders for Kashmiri tourism by simply being there in the Valley, mingling with the locals. A lot of his charity work was introduced into the Valley. And yes, the myth of Kashmir being a terror-infested area has already been broken by the fact that Salman Khan could shoot there for 40 days without a single incident.”

Kabir says reports coming out of Kashmir about the law-and-order situation are highly exaggerated. “We’re given the impression that people are getting killed all the time. There was not one incident while we shot in the Valley. In fact, the last time there was a terror attack on Pahalgam was eight years ago. By shooting in the Valley without any incident, tourism in Kashmir shot up while Salman shot there.”

Kabir admits it was touch-and-go when Salman returned to Mumbai in the middle of the Kashmir schedule for the court’s verdict on the hit-and-run case. “We were tense. But not about the film’s future. We were sure that were higher courts to go to, in case the verdict was unfavourable to Salman. But as friends and well-wishers, we were concerned. When he rejoined us in Kashmir there was jubilation.”

BEBO’S FIRST VISIT, TOO!
Incidentally, this was not only Salman’s first visit to the Valley, but also Kareena Kapoor’s first visit as an adult. Says Kabir, “She had visited Kashmir with her family as a child. But she had never shot in the state though her whole family had. It was new experience for both Salman and Kareena.”