Suhail Khan
Srinagar, April 18 : In a historic first for Kashmir in nearly four decades, the Bollywood action thriller *Ground Zero* held its grand premiere in Srinagar on Friday, ahead of its nationwide release.
The film, inspired by a previously untold real-life mission of the Border Security Force (BSF), marks a symbolic moment in the resurgence of cinema in the valley.
Produced by Excel Entertainment, *Ground Zero* brings to screen one of the BSF’s most legendary operations.
The premiere, a star-studded affair, featured a striking red carpet attended by BSF personnel, cast members, and the film’s crew.
Actors Emraan Hashmi and Sai Tamhankar, director Tejas Prabha Vijay Deoskar, producers Ritesh Sidhwani and Farhan Akhtar, along with their spouses Dolly Sidhwani and Shibani Dandekar, and co-producer Arhan Bagati, graced the event.
According to sources, Hashmi portrays BSF Commandant Narendra Nath Dhar Dubey, marking his debut as an army officer on screen, while Tamhankar plays his on-screen wife. The premiere was specially organized to honor BSF jawans (soldiers), who were prominently featured guests.
Presented by Excel Entertainment and directed by Deoskar, *Ground Zero* is co-produced by Kassim Jagmagia, Vishal Ramchandani, Sundeep C. Sidhwani, Arhan Bagati, Talisman Films, Abhishek Kumar, and Nishikant Roy. The film is slated for theatrical release on April 25, 2025.
The event underscores Bollywood’s renewed engagement with Kashmir, a shift accelerated since the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019. Over recent years, the valley has emerged as a filming hotspot for major productions, including blockbusters, web series, and music videos. Concurrently, the reopening of cinemas across Kashmir after a decades-long hiatus has revitalized local entertainment infrastructure, creating jobs and rekindling cultural connections.
Earlier in a day Actor Emraan Hashmi said that We were shooting for about 30 days for our film Ground Zero. I feel happy to come back to Srinagar. It feels very nice. The weather is good here, it is better than Mumbai,” Hashmi said.
“It is a very important and symbolic moment for the people here, for this region. The people here are very good and talented, but they need a medium, that avenue in films and television to explore their creativity in any stream.” Directed by Tejas Deoskar, “Ground Zero” is produced by Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani’s Excel Entertainment.
Hashmi shared a post on his X handle on Friday morning as he reached the city along with the director, Deoskar.
“#Groundzero touchdown landmark day: first Red carpet movie screening after 38 years in #Srinagar, this is a special movie screening to honour BSF soldiers and their officers,” read the caption.
Suhail Khan is a filmmaker, content writer, and freelance journalist.
