If Bollywood ever had an official romance postcard, it would definitely be Kashmir. The shikaras gliding down Dal Lake, the snowfall in Gulmarg, and pine trees brushing against white peaks, Kashmir is more than a backdrop in Hindi cinema. In fact, it’s a character itself—dramatic, emotional and unforgettable.
But Kashmir’s cinematic vision isn’t limited to the scenery. It’s also shaped by a bunch of unique talent native to the soil, including filmmakers, actors, writers, and musicians. Together, they have carried the spirit of Kashmir, weaning heartfelt stories and sounds of the land into Hindi cinema. Take Vidhu Vinod Chopra for instance who was born in Srinagar and writer Basharat Peer (who penned the screenplay for Haider). Also, not to forget the santoor maestro Pandit Shivkumar Sharma who was born in Jammu and even newer voices like Vibha Saraf and Faheem Abdullah.
Whether it’s Pahalgam’s pine valleys or Gulmarg’s snow-capped hills, Bollywood in Kashmir has been a recurring theme for decades. Some of the most-loved Bollywood movies shot in Kashmir include Junglee, Kashmir Ki Kali, Jab Jab Phool Khile, Kabhie Kabhie, Silsila, Bobby, Betaab, Haider, and Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani—and they continue to draw travellers to the same lakes, gardens, and mountain backdrops seen on screen.
Here’s how Bollywood in Kashmir evolved across different eras, enticing Indian mainstream movie audiences.
Hindi cinema had its first brush with Kashmir back in the 1960s with Shammi Kapoor’s “Junglee”. In time, the location became an absolute favorite for filmmakers for all good reasons. Thanks to ready-made romantic backdrops on budget against expensive international outdoors.
Shikaras, houseboats, and Dal Lake; the perfect ingredients for a romantic scene
Snow-capped mountain for winter romantic sequences
Mughal gardens for gentle period romance
Pine valleys for wide angle poetic frames
Ask yesteryear audiences, and you will know how they associate Kashmir to be the paradise of earth with fond memories involving their favorite stars. Take Shakti Samanta's “Kashmir ki Kali” for instance where Shammi Kapoor croons the famous song “Tareef Karoon Kya Usqi” romancing Sharmila Tagore in Mohd. Rafi’s heavenly voice. The scene was entirely shot in Dal Lake with shikaras and houseboats floating around delightfully. The trend followed down the line to several filmmakers later, like Yash Chopra.
Long before “honeymoon packages, and “destination weddings" became a thing, Bollywood movies shot in Kashmir were the original inspiration for couples.
The classic era of Bollywood romance was all about discovering the unearthed beauty of Kashmir. Here’s a look at some of the famous movies shot in Kashmir during the golden era of Hindi cinema.
Junglee (1961) : Bollywood' s first brush with Kashmir’s outdoor romance that set the template for others to follow. “Junglee“ established the essence of Kashmir valley as a recurrent theme for many later Bollywood romantics.
Kashmir Ki Kali (1964) : The Shammi Kapoor and Sharmila Tagore starrer that made Dal Lake and the shikara/houseboat aesthetics a Bollywood signature.
Jab Jab Phool Khile (1965): The movie that won audience hearts with houseboats, lakeside romance, and the natural warmth of valleys.
Bobby (1973): Gulmarg’s popularity shot through the roof, especially for pop-culture tourists after “Bobby” was released. The major attraction was the “Bobby Hut” where Rishi Kapoor and Dimple Kapadia shot the iconic song “Hum Tum Ek Kamre Mein Band Ho”.
Kabhie Kabhie (1976): Yash Chopra’s lyrical ballad that used Kashmir’s gorgeous frames to perfection (the Dal Lake, gardens, and chinars) making romance look like poetry on celluloid.
Silsila (1981): Multiple romantic song sequences were shot in Kashmir, setting the example for other filmmakers to follow.
Betaab (1983) : The movie’s visuals were so closely tied with Kashmir that a valley in Pahalgam became popular as the “Betaab Valley.”
Did you know? The Char Chinar island on Dal Lake became a pop-culture landmark after Bollywood songs and shikara scenes made it instantly recognizable.
One of the notable films associated with Kashmir during the 1990s is the 1991 musical drama Henna. The story draws much of its emotional depth from its beautiful Kashmiri setting. While rooted in Kashmir, portions of the film were shot in Manali and select international locations to recreate scenic backdrops.
The 2000’s and later years were a resurgence for Bollywood in Kashmir. Many new and talented filmmakers used Kashmir as a recurrent theme in the movie infusing tech and cinematic vision like never before. From cleaner wide angles to drone sweeps, it helped project the beauty of Kashmir in a new light; something less poetic but albeit immersive.
Here are some of the best Bollywood movies shot in Kashmir since 2000.
Mission Kashmir (2000): A critically-acclaimed film that uniquely blends Kashmir’s landscapes with conflict-driven and intense storytelling.
Fanaa (2006): A come of age movie that weds romance to politics with Kashmir as the epicenter.
Rockstar (2011) : A modern classic that uses Kashmir both as a place of beauty and heartbreak.
Highway (2014): The enigmatic pull of Kashmir’s open roads and calmness of mountains narrating a personal journey of freedom.
Haider (2014) : Inarguably one of the best modern day Bollywood movies that uses Kashmir not as a backdrop but a flawed character, especially Srinagar’s lived-in spaces.
Bajrangi Bhaijaan (2015): Salman’s Khan’s blockbuster hit with big-scale storytelling and bold Kashmir backdrops, especially from Sonamarg and Thajiwas region.
Fitoor (2016): Bollywood’s poetic rendition of Charles Dickens “A Tale of Two Cities” with romantic aesthetics comprising autumn chinars, gardens, and Dal Lake.
Raazi (2018): A Bollywood spy drama that uses handpicked locations of Kashmir and Kashmiri music to shape the emotional narrative.
Laila Majnu (2018): A cult romance deeply tied to Srinagar’s romantic atmosphere and changing seasons across the valley.
Notebook (2019): A different and unusually quieter Bollywood romantic movie shot in Kashmir where the narrative is heavily driven by the landscape and solitude of the valleys.
Shikara (2020): Directed by Vidhu Vinod Chopra, “Shikara” is reportedly shot in the valley and rooted in Kashmir’s soil making it a poignant and emotional love story.
The Kashmir Files (2022): A mainstream film that projected Kashmir in a very different lens and hits hard at audiences and critics.
Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani (2023): Another romantic movie where the film’s famous soundtrack “Tum Kya Mile” has a sequence in the snow filmed entirely in Gulmarg pushing the status quo for “foreign like honeymoon” in Kashmir. The best part? The entire song was shot at the gorgeous Khyber Hotel.
Dhurandhar (2025): “Dhurandhar” is a gritty spy action-thriller by producer-director Aditya Dhar with Ranveer Singh, Akshaye Khanna and R. Madhavan in key roles. The film heavily revolves around modern geopolitics and intelligence ops with a gripping storyline around the Kashmir region in a larger context.
It’s good to know: “Dhurandhar” reportedly had houseful shows across smaller towns of Jammu & Kashmir like Shopian and Pulwama. This heavily hints at stronger revival of Bollywood in the Valley.
Many travel lovers also associate the wider region’s high-altitude landscapes with cinema—especially Ladakh/Kargil-facing terrains seen in films like 3 Idiots and Lakshya.
Vidhu Vinod Chopra (Director/Producer/Writer): Born and raised in Srinagar, Vidhu Vindo is known for weaving Kashmiri narratives into commercial Hindi cinema across films like “Mission Kashmir” and “Shikara”.
Jeevan – Omkar Nath Dhar (Actor): Born in Srinagar, Jeevan was one of the earliest Bollywood actors from Kashmir and became legendary for his villainous roles and his iconic portrayal of Narad Muni in mythological and mainstream Hindi cinema.
Raaj Kumar (Actor): Born as Kulbhushan Pandit into a Kashmiri Pandit family, Raaj Kumar was one of Hindi cinema’s most distinctive and powerful actors. Known for his commanding dialogue delivery and intense screen presence, he delivered memorable performances in classics like Mother India, Waqt, Pakeezah, and Tirangaa.
Anupam Kher(Actor): Although born in Shimla, Anupam Kher is a Kashmiri Pandit and is certainly among Indian cinema’s most celebrated actors. His mainstream work pans through several national and international movies and he proudly speaks about his Kashmiri roots quite often.
Kunal Kemmu (Actor/Director): Kunal Kemmu was born in Srinagar and began his acting career as a child artist and later became a popular face across Bollywood’s comedy and thriller movies.
Vidyut Jammwal (Actor/Martial Artist): Jammu-born Vidyut Jammwal is best known for his martial art skills and adrenaline-filled action sequences in Hindi movies. Vidyut will also be seen in his first Hollywood movie “Street Fighter 2” playing the role of Dhalsim.
Sanjay Suri (Actor/Producer): Born in Srinagar, Sanjay Suri has graced the silver screen with his mainstream and independent work in Hindi cinema.
Basharat Peer (Writer/Screenwriter/Author): A native to Seer Hamdan, Basharat Peer co-wrote the screenplay for “Haider”, one of Bollywood’s highly acclaimed films shot against the backdrop of Kashmir.
Pandit Shivkumar Sharma (Musician/Composer) : Another Jammu born personality and an absolute legend, Pandit Shikumar Sharma used his santoor to infuse the charm of Kashmiri folk traditions seamlessly into Indian classical and film music. He often composed music as a duo with another maestro, flautist Hariprasad Chaurasia.
Vibha Saraf (Singer/Songwriter): Saraf hails from Srinagar and infuses rich Kashmiri folk texture with Bollywood playback. One of her famous compositions is the track “Dilbaro” from the movie Raazi.
Faheem Abdullah (Singer/Songwriter): Born in Srinagar, Faheem is an emerging and fresh Kashmiri singer who has gained widespread recognition for the viral “Saiyaara” title track.
Mohit Raina (Actor): Mohit was raised in Jammu and rose to fame for his role in hit religious Hindi serial “Devon Ke Dev Mahadev”.
Hina Khan (Actress): Srinagar born Hina Khan is yet another popular name in Bollywood. She is perhaps best known for her role of Akshara Maheshwari Singhania in the popular Hindi soap Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hain.
Zaira Wasim (Actress): Another Srinagar born actress, Zaira got recognition in Bollywood for her powerful roles in movies like “Dangal” and “Secret Superstar".
Rahul Bhat (Model/Actor): Rahul was born in Srinagar and began his glam career as a model and later jumpshipped to acting. Rahul is best known for his lead roles in TV serial “Heena” and a few other notable Bollywood films like “Fitoor”, and “Section 375”.
Mir Sarwar (Actor): A Kashmiri actor known for his appearances in Bollywood’s hit movies like “Bajrangi Bhaijaan” “Kesari”, and “Jolly LLB 2”.
Bollywood movies shot in Kashmir often look like pages from a dream. While earlier filmmakers used Kashmir mainly as a romantic backdrop, new age Bollywood movies are a step ahead. Today, the valley of Kashmir is being widely used figuratively for complex emotions, identity crisis, realism, and politics.
For romance lovers, though, Kashmir retains its quintessential charm-the snow-capped peaks, calm forests, and peaceful lake views. But for travellers, there’s another layer to it—staying in places that are downright cinematic without any cameras rolling.
Step inside the majestic Khyber Himalayan Resort & Spa. Set at an altitude of 8,825 feet, this exquisite boutique luxury ski resort comes with 85 keys with close vicinity to Gulmarg (400 metres from the Gondola base station). It also features a luxury spa experience powered by L’Occitane.
So, if you’re tempted to witness what it's like to romance in snow, like the “Tum Kya Mile”sequence, you can find yourself at the very same location. You will not only be cherishing the moment with your loved one but also creating a memory for a lifetime. Because Kashmir isn’t only a backdrop. It’s a muse Hindi cinema keeps coming back to decade after decade.
Shammi Kapoor’s Junglee (1961) was among the earliest Bollywood films to be shot in Kashmir, marking the start of the valley as a favorite filming location.
The romantic drama Betaab (1983) was shot near Pahalgam, and the location was later named “Betaab Valley” after the movie became a hit.
“Tareef Karoon Kya Uski” from the movie “Kashmir Ki Kali” starring Shammi Kapoor and Sharmila Tagore is the most famous among bollywood movies shot in Kashmir. The entire song is picturized on a shikara floating in Dal Lake.
Yes, the “Tum Kya Mile” song from the movie “Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahaani” was entirely shot in Gulmarg, Kashmir at the Khyber Hotels
The climax of “Bajranji Bhaijaan” was shot at the base of the Thajiwas Glacier in Sonamarg, Kashmir.
