Nestled in the heart of Goregaon’s sprawling Film City, the gentle rustle of trees, misty mornings, and emerald-green hillsides often serve as a cinematic stand-in for the breathtaking valleys of Kashmir.
Over the years, the lush corners of this 520-acre campus have quietly doubled as the “Valley of Dreams” for filmmakers who wish to capture Kashmir’s serenity—without leaving Mumbai.
“Many times, we recreate Kashmir here in Film City,” said Jhanvi, Assistant PRO of Film City Mumbai, while speaking to Rising Kashmir and a visiting media delegation from Jammu and Kashmir. “It saves travel time and logistical hassles. Sometimes, actors and crew members aren’t ready or available to travel long distances due to tight schedules, so directors prefer to shoot here where the greenery and scenic charm help create a similar feel.”
Spread across dense forests and rolling landscapes on the outskirts of Mumbai, Film City—officially known as Dadasaheb Phalke Chitranagari—has been a creative hub since the 1970s. Established under the guidance of legendary filmmaker V. Shantaram, it offers a complete ecosystem for India’s film industry with nearly 20 indoor studios, 16 open-air locations, and multiple scenic spots that mimic diverse terrains—from mountain slopes to riverside trails and alpine meadows.
“Film City’s natural landscape and greenery give it a unique versatility,” Jhanvi said. “For directors, it’s like having a piece of every state within one campus—be it the ghats of Varanasi, the lanes of Delhi, or the valleys of Kashmir. Our art departments, set designers, and lighting experts bring those visions to life beautifully.”
Over the decades, Film City has hosted several iconic Bollywood productions that have recreated Kashmir’s breathtaking beauty using its green cover and artificial snow sets. Movies like “Fanaa,” “Kashmir Ki Kali,” “Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani,” “Haider,” and parts of “Mission Kashmir” have used its locations to simulate the valley’s charm. Art directors often bring in pine props, mist machines, and snow-making units to replicate Gulmarg or Pahalgam-like settings within hours.
“Technology and creativity make it possible to bring Kashmir’s allure to Mumbai,” said a senior production designer from a local film crew. “But even with perfect sets, the real Kashmir has a soul that cannot be replicated—it remains every filmmaker’s dream to shoot there at least once.”
In recent years, the rise of OTT platforms has also brought new life to Film City’s scenic corners. Web series like “The Family Man,” “Khufiya,” and “Mission Majnu” have filmed Kashmir-inspired sequences here, seamlessly blending the location’s lush greenery with post-production effects to create a convincing northern backdrop.
Jhanvi, who has worked closely with several production units, explained how the campus’s flexible infrastructure allows filmmakers to create almost any region of India in one place. “The idea is to give directors the freedom to shoot without boundaries,” she said. “Sometimes, it’s not just about avoiding travel—it’s about efficiency. A two-day outdoor schedule in the Valley can be recreated here in just a few hours with the right visual treatment.”
On any given day, as many as 25 to 30 productions take place across Film City’s vast area, which is surrounded by the lush forests of Sanjay Gandhi National Park. From big-budget Bollywood films and TV serials to advertisements and music videos, the complex buzzes with creative energy throughout the year.
But for all its versatility, Jhanvi admits that the real Kashmir remains irreplaceable. “Film City helps directors bring a touch of the Valley to the screen,” she said, “but the aura, the light, and the emotions of the real Kashmir are beyond replication. What we do here is more of a tribute—a creative salute to the beauty that filmmakers fall in love with again and again.”
She added with a smile, “Film City is where imagination meets convenience. But Kashmir—Kashmir will always be cinema’s eternal muse. Whenever directors come here to shoot a ‘Kashmir’ scene, they talk about how much they wish to film in the real Valley someday. That tells you the magic the place still holds.”
