Filmmaker Yash Chopra, who captured the beauty of Kashmir with unmatched love in reel, had returned to the Valley after nearly 25 years earlier this year, creating an unprecedented buzz.
He shot for his last directorial venture, Jab Tak Hai Jaan, in Kashmir and attested the hope
that good times were for sure returning to the Valley, which has welcomed millions of tourists in the last couple of years.
The 80-year-old director, who passed away on Sunday, had planned his next vacation in Kashmir following his movie’s release.
“I told him about the Tulip Garden and how it is one of the biggest in the world. He wanted to come back to the Valley in April for tulip season,” Nazir Bakshi, a close friend of the Chopras for 40 years and owner of Shiraz Travels, said on Monday.
“I met him at a party in Mumbai when he was assisting his brother BR Chopra. He was in love with locations where he shot his films and Kashmir was a must till militancy erupted,” Bakshi added. “He was a good man and good men love beauty that reflect God’s greatness. His movies made beautiful things look even better.”
Chief minister Omar Abdullah recalled his meeting with Chopra in Leh during a film shooting. “It’s unfortunate news as Chopra ji always wanted to make Kashmir a second home for Bollywood,” he said in his condolence message.