The Hindu : National : Mufti beckons Bollywood again

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Sunday, May 01, 2005

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Mufti beckons Bollywood again

Special Correspondent

``Show patriotism by filming in the State''

MUMBAI: He would like the ``asli'' Kashmir to be depicted in Bollywood films. This was the main mission that brought Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed to the capital of Hindi cinema on Saturday. ``Instead of showing patriotism in films, film directors should show real patriotism by filming in Kashmir,'' he told reporters.

Mr. Sayeed has tried to woo Bollywood to his State once before. He admits that his efforts failed. ``They prefer Switzerland,'' he said ruefully. Despite the State Government's efforts to sell the State as a location for films, he said there had been ``no positive response.'' But he is not giving up as he spends this evening with the likes of Vidhu Vinod Chopra and Shabana Azmi to get them persuade others from Bollywood to think of Kashmir.

"Power to change perceptions"

Why is Bollywood so important? Mr. Sayeed says that cinema has the power to change perceptions. At this stage in the State's development that is most important. He points to the positive impact domestic tourism has already had on the State. "There is a multiplier effect. Every domestic tourist visiting Kashmir is now a messenger.'' Last year, over four-lakh pilgrims visited Amarnath and the numbers were growing each year. According to officials, all hotel rooms in Srinagar and Gulmarg are booked right up to June.

The Chief Minister is also looking for investment. He is pushing for medium and large-scale industries in Jammu and electronics and the service industry in Kashmir. For this the Government is going out of its way to provide land and other infrastructure and exemptions from income tax, excise and sales tax.

``I want to make a special appeal to people such as Narayanamurthy and Azim Premji to think of setting up outsourcing units in our State,'' he told The Hindu . There were thousands of educated young people looking for work and this would be an ideal solution.

Mr. Sayeed was also confident that the power situation would be sorted out with the aid of the special package of Rs. 18,000 crores announced by the Prime Minister recently.

The State has a 20,000 MW hydel capacity that it now planned to exploit by inviting private parties to set up power projects, he said.

On the controversial Baglihar dam, to which Pakistan has raised objections, the Chief Minister said he was confident that the independent observer asked to assess whether India had violated the Indus Waters Treaty would return without finding any fault on India's part.

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