Sadia Khateeb calls shooting in Kashmir a ‘homecoming’

Heavy rainfall in Kashmir recently led to flash floods and landslides, causing a hindrance in many activities in the valley, including film shoots. However, actor Sadia Khateeb’s upcoming film Silaa, which is currently being filmed in Gulmarg, didn’t have to suffer any halt.

The shoot is currently taking place in Dal Lake, and Sadia says the team is taking precautions in light of the weather conditions. “While Shikara rides are temporarily on a halt, we chose to shoot other sequences instead of halting the shoot,” she explains.

The actor, who hails from Bhaderwah in J&K, is loving the opportunity to work in her home state, as she calls it nothing short of a “homecoming”. She shares, “Whenever I hear we’re shooting in Kashmir, it feels like working from home — this place is home to me in so many ways. It really does feel like homecoming.”

Taking in the beauty of her home state, Sadia feels on cloud nine. “I’m loving it. Coming back to Kashmir for a shoot feels like I never even left,” she says, adding, “This is the second time I’m shooting here — the first was for my debut film, Shikara (2020). I’ve shot in many locations around the world, and we even went to Vietnam for Silaa, but every time I come to Kashmir, it just hits me that there is no place like it. It’s insanely beautiful.”

Addressing concerns about safety in the region following the Pahalgam attack in April, Sadia says: “One unfortunate incident cannot define the whole place. The media often paints a different picture, but the reality isn’t that. People here are so hospitable and loving. The spirit of this place is unmatched.”