You could say it got away in the nick of time. Mahesh Babu’s next film, Sarileru Neekevvaru was shot in Kashmir just this July. “Thankfully, we wrapped up the Kashmir schedule just days before Article 370 was scrapped. The Kashmiris are such lovely, warm and hospitable people,” says Mahesh Babu’s wife, Namrata Shirodkar, who had joined her husband with their two children during the Kashmir schedule of the film.
“In fact, we celebrated our daughter Sitara’s birthday there. Those few days that I spent in Kashmir with Mahesh and the children were sheer magic. I will never forget them. We’re planning another holiday, this time without work, in Kashmir as soon the situation normalises there,” shares Namrata, who rates Kashmir as her favourite holiday spot.
Namrata Shirodkar
Revealing that she was stunned by the natural beauty of the Valley, she adds, “Kashmir beats the Swiss Alps. It is more beautiful than any luxury destination that I’ve ever visited. Why do we go the Alps and Gstaad to enjoy the mountains and snow? There’s no place as beautiful as Kashmir anywhere in the world. No wonder a poet described it as heaven on earth. There’s absolutely no exaggeration in that description.”
Namrata is hoping that communication and transportation into the Valley will get better soon. “It is really unfortunate that our accessibility into Kashmir has been thus far curtailed and limited. I myself had never been to Kashmir until my husband shot for Sarileru Neekevvaru there!,” says the former actress.
Incidentally, Sarileru Neekevvaru may be the last film to be shot in Kashmir for a while. Says Namrata, “That seems sadly true. I remember so many lovely films were shot in Kashmir, right from Kashmir ki Kali to Mission Kashmir and the recent Raazi.”
She adds, “Mahesh shot for the film in Kashmir without any disturbance whatsoever. The entire security infrastructure and the local people co-operated fully and ensured the shooting went on smoothly. We need to return to Kashmir and show the world that it is still a paradise on earth minus the sound of gunshots and explosions.”
