Lights, Camera, Action - Hollywood Comes to India

Just as Switzerland was Yash Chopra’s favourite location for shooting his movies, India and its many alluring destinations have found a new champion – Hollywood! From the evil nemesis Batman to England’s top secret agent James Bond, everyone is keen to hold on to a slice of India. Whether it is the royal palaces of Rajasthan, the metropolis of Mumbai or the new Hollywood debutantes Chandigarh and Kanpur; Indian cities are finding their fame in the arc lights. Interestingly, this has given birth to a new and exciting phenomenon of film tourism.

India- A Growing Market for Hollywood Films

Indian cities have been appearing in Hollywood films for quite some time. Richard Attenborough’s Gandhi and David Lean’s A Passage to India, are some examples. But the newer generation of Hollywood is going places in India, quite literally. From Ang Lee’s magnum opus Life of Pi, to Ryan Murphy’s Eat Pray Love starring Julia Roberts, it is a star list of destinations, celebrity actors and mega productions.

Eat Pray Love, for instance, did more for tourism to India’s meditation centers than most television gurus. Julia Robert’s journey to Varanasi, the aarti on the banks of the Ganges, the profound peace of Rishikesh, the stunning Taj Mahal, holistic healing in Kerala and the concept of Indian spiritual ashrams found enough takers once the movie premiered.

The stupendous success of Ang Lee’s Life of Pi would have been incomplete without the French colonial Puducherry where part of the film was shot. In fact, the Ministry of Tourism gave two awards for the film - to Ang Lee, the director of the film, and to Yann Martel, writer of the book - for promoting India as a tourist destination.

On the other hand, Danny Boyle’s Slumdog Millionaire presented a facet of India and its financial capital Mumbai, which many Indians would prefer to keep hidden. The difficulties of life in this metro and the inspiring buoyancy in the hearts of its denizens touched millions of cords worldwide.

With the rising popularity of India as the location for big budget American films, it is no wonder that curiosity and tourism to the country is on the rise. While the Indian tourism department is keen to cash in on Hollywood’s love affair with India, tourists, particularly Asians, are keen to follow in the footsteps of their beloved movie stars. As a result, they are now visiting locations and cities that have featured in their favorite flicks.

Indian Hotels Featured in Hollywood

Interestingly, it is not just Indian cities or locations that have been catching the fancy of the West. India’s top notch hospitality industry and the sprawling magnificence of several hotels in India have not gone unnoticed either. Take for example the famous Taj Lake Palace in Udaipur. This stunning lake palace on Lake Pichola, an elegant luxury heritage hotel was the erstwhile pleasure palace of Maharaja Jai Singh of Udaipur. The decadent palace played host to none other than James Bond in the 1980’s Bond film Octopussy as the hideout of the notorious villain Octopussy.

Hollywood Going Places in India

India’s financial capital, the vibrant and cosmopolitan Mumbai, features prominently in several Hollywood films and is the location for Freida Pinto’s upcoming Trishna. The royal palaces, deserts and forts of Rajasthan, the metropolis of Delhi and the Taj Mahal in Agra are other favorites. The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel was shot extensively in Bengaluru, The Darjeeling Limited has scenes shot in Jodhpur and Udaipur, while Donald Sutherland is currently shooting for an Indie film in Mumbai and Kerala. A movie based on the story of Afghanistan’s newest hero Malala Yousafzai, is being shot in none other than Kanpur!

Stay tuned for more drama and action on movies and travel and watch this space for the best filmy destinations!

Photo Credit: YouTube