It's high time for Kashmiri Pandits to return to Kashmir: Anupam Kher

Veteran actor Anupam Kher on Tuesday said it was high time for Kashmiri pandits to return to Kashmir and pitched for promoting the Valley as a shooting destination for Bollywood.

"The people of Kashmir have given me a lot of love and I think it is high time to get Pandits back. We were a good mixture of sweetness and saltiness. We were great together. I have great memories of spending time at the places of Muslim friends," Kher told reporters in Gulmarg.

He said Kashmir needed to be promoted as a shooting destination in Bollywood and the government should provide all facilities for shooting films in Kashmir.

"The place needs to be marketed among film makers. The state needs to have a studio facility. It is difficult to bring equipment here. There should be some incentives to film makers as well," he suggested. The actor had a word of caution for film makers who choose to base their movies in Kashmir.

"Film people have to come here with a certain sense of responsibility. You cannot have your own interpretation, personal egos cannot come. You have to be sensitive towards the people over here and their emotions," he said, adding he would love to make a comedy film here.

Kher said out of his love and compassion for Kashmir, he would offer a 50% discount to people of Kashmir in his acting school.

"I have decided that my school will give a 50% discount to the people from Kashmir who are interested in acting," he said.

The actor said there was a lot of talent in the Valley and he would love to conduct workshops and bring his theatre here.

Kher said he was happy that film makers were returning to Kashmir for shooting and that would provide a fillip to tourism in the state.

"Many films have been shot here in the past few years. Mnay more are planning. Salman Khan will come here for shooting. All this would help in generating tourism here," he said.