Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, May 8: After Chief Minister, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed last week asked Bollywood to market Kashmir for tourism promotion, the film producer Vashu Bhagnani today arrived here to promote his film ‘Welcome to Karachi’ that is being released later this month.
‘Welcome to Karachi’ is a comedy film revolving around two Indian friends – Arshad Warsi and Jackky Bhagnani – who embark on a journey only to find themselves in Karachi without their passports. Amidst the chaos of Taliban and trying to find their way back to India, the two characters create quite a ruckus.
Set in Karachi, the film has been shot in different parts of the United Kingdom, like Wales, Birmingham and Bradford. Although these places cannot replicate Karachi and give it the same look and feel, the sets have been made to resemble Karachi as closely as possible.
The producer of Pooja Films, Bhagnani, today arrived here along with his son and actor Jackky and actress Lauren Gottlieb. They will take part in a run with the school children on Sunday morning in Srinagar before flying to Mumbai. The actors will meet children and a cross section of people here.
Jackky and Lauren while speaking exclusively to Excelsior at Hari Niwas soon after their arrival were mesmerized by the beauty of Kashmir. “This is my first trip to Kashmir, I should have come here before but better late than never. The beauty is breathtaking. Air is filled with fragrance of flowers and it appears that there has been fragrance bombing everywhere here”, he said.
Lauren, the American actress and dancer, told Excelsior: “It is for the first time, I am seeing such greenery in India. We want to stay longer here but have to go back for film promotion. I would love to shoot for a film here.”
Jackky said that Bollywood should do more and more shoots here besides shooting film songs. He said that wherever you turn, there is a set ready for shoot. “I would love to come to Kashmir for shoot. Whenever, I will get a role in a film, to be shot in Kashmir, I would love to come here”, he added.
The actors are looking forward to run with the children of old city Srinagar on Sunday morning which has seen much violence during past 25 years of militancy in Kashmir.
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