Before Hindi cinema began filming in Switzerland for romantic songs, Kashmir was the popular location for love stories, with films showcasing its snowy mountains until the early 1980s. However, due to political unrest, shooting became unsafe, highlighted by an incident during Rishi Kapoor’s Kabhi Kabhie, requiring military evacuation.
In his memoir Khullam Khulla: Rishi Kapoor Uncensored, the late actor recounted a birthday party organized by Yash Chopra while filming in Pahalgam.Guests were unaware of a nearby conflict between horse owners and taxi drivers, which escalated when a drunk driver started a fight. The situation quickly turned chaotic, with a large mob throwing stones and fireballs at the hotel, demanding blood from Rishi and Yash’s assistant, Deepak Sareen.
The situation worsened, and Rishi and others were ordered to their rooms for safety, instructed to hide under their beds as the chaos escalated. Their rooms were locked from the outside, but stones shattered the windows. Rishi called it the “scariest moment” of his life. The then Chief Minister Sheikh Abdullah had to intervene for their safe evacuation with military assistance. Despite this incident, Rishi cherished his overall memories of filming in Kashmir.
Rishi Kapoor passed away in 2020 after a prolonged struggle with cancer.
