Emraan Hashmi discusses safety and opportunities for cinema in Srinagar after Article 370

Mumbai:  Actor Emraan Hashmi has shared his thoughts on the positive changes in Srinagar following the revocation of Article 370.

Speaking candidly about his experiences filming in the region, Hashmi highlighted the enhanced safety and growing opportunities for cinema in the city. With the lifting of restrictions, he emphasized how filmmakers are now more confident in shooting there, as security has improved and the region is gradually embracing a sense of normalcy. The actor also revealed a landmark event—the first screening of his film ‘Ground Zero’ for BSF soldiers, marking a step towards fostering a renewed sense of connection and normalcy in the region.

Emraan told IANS, “People are no longer as scared. The incident rates have drastically reduced, and things have improved significantly.” While talking to the BSF soldiers stationed in the area, he mentioned how much safer things had become, with new safety protocols in place. “When we were shooting Ground Zero, we could feel the growing sense of normalcy in the region, and there was a lot of interest from tourists.

The ‘Murder’ actor also revealed that on the 18th, after almost 38 years, there will be a special screening of Ground Zero for BSF soldiers and their officers. The screening aims to honor and bring a sense of normalcy to the people of the region, as well as recognize the dedication of the soldiers who have long served there.

“One more landmark thing we are doing — on the 18th, after almost 38 years, there will be a special screening to honour BSF soldiers and their officers. We will showcase the entire film Ground Zero to our soldiers. This, we believe, helps reinforce a sense of normalcy in the public eye. A lot of films have already been shot in Srinagar, but we now need to take that next step — to organize more screenings for our soldiers. We should also release our films in theatres for the local audience, so that the experience of cinema becomes a part of everyday life again,” Emraan shared.

For the unversed, Article 370 was a special constitutional provision that granted the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir a significant degree of autonomy. On August 5, 2019, the Government of India abrogated Article 370, effectively revoking the special status of Jammu and Kashmir. This move brought the region under the same constitutional framework as the rest of the country and led to the bifurcation of the state into two Union Territories: Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh.

Since the abrogation, Srinagar has seen changes in security protocols, increased investments, and efforts to normalize life in the region.

Speaking of “Ground Zero,” the film will see Emran Hashmi playing the role of BSF Commandant Narendra Nath Dhar Dubey, who spearheaded the operation to execute Ghazi Baba. This mission was recognized as the best operation of the BSF in the past 50 years. The action thriller, directed by Tejas Deoskar, is all set to hit cinemas on April 25, 2025.

–IANS