Manmarziyan Kashmir Tales: Abhishek’s wit, Taapsee’s sunbathing and Anurag’s cricket matches

By Nichola

on April 17, 2018

Shooting in Sonamarg, Jammu and Kashmir, for Manmarziyan turned out to be quite the experience for Abhishek Bachchan and Taapsee Pannu. This Anurag Kashyap directorial had to face its share of bumps. When Abhishek arrived for the filming of this Aanand L Rai production, which also stars Vicky Kaushal, it was during a two-day shutdown in Sonamarg. He had been stopped at Srinagar airport for half an hour, during which time he had been briefed by police officials about the security situation. However, the roads leading to Sonamarg had been blocked at several places. Eventually, he was escorted to the location along with heavy state police security.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BhiVoJ3hgR_/?hl=en&taken-by=taapsee

What’s more, Taapsee and Abhishek shot at the Thajiwas glacier area and this was also a source of unrest. The film being granted the permission to do so was questioned by local tour guides. Since September 2017, the Sonamarg Development Authority had restricted vehicular movement on the Sonamarg-Thajiwas road stretch following a court order. This decision was taken as a report had revealed that the Thajiwas glacier had receded 388 meters in the last 100 years due to fossil fuel in motored vehicles and the burning of woody biomass in the makeshift restaurants and tea stalls in the area.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BhqA8QRhF57/?hl=en&taken-by=taapsee

However, aside from these glitches, the shooting went off smoothly. This was Taapsee Pannu’s first visit to the valley and she was especially taken by Sonmarg’s skiing. “We were on a tight schedule, so we had to stick to shooting,” she shares. “While I was there, I realised that Sonmarg is one of the safest destinations in Kashmir. We shot with locals amidst snow-capped mountains. I also saw tourists who were there for skiing and other adventure activities.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/BhnlHX7BhCL/?hl=en&taken-by=taapsee

Even the two-day shutdown didn’t bother her much as she underlines that it was a smooth shoot and a great break from the terrains of Amritsar. “The snow and clean rivers, the greenery were refreshing. It was a rare, beautiful experience. Distant from our city lives.”
A constant supply of “dry wit and sarcastic humour” from her co-star Abhishek, director Anurag and gang playing cricket on set with the locals, and for Taapsee, some sunbathing while enrobed in warm clothes… Kashmir was an experience to remember in many ways.