Bollywood film directors love to shoot abroad. This trend was seen in the movies of yesteryears and is followed even today, to the extent that entire movies too are shot at a foreign location. Does that mean India’s very own scenic beauty leaves filmmakers unimpressed? On the contrary, the vibrant colors, rustic charm, and natural wonders of our country make it a very attractive film location. Not just Bollywood, but Hollywood directors are drawn to India. Kathryn Bigelow, Danny Boyle, Christopher Nolan, Wes Anderson, and many more filmmakers have shot their movies in India, some of which have received much critical acclaim. Take a look at some of these movies:
The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
The Judi Dench-starrer was shot in many scenic areas of Jaipur, and Udaipur. The rich color palette of Rajasthan is what made the makers of the movie choose these cities. In the film, you can see the Ravla Khempur Palace, a flower and vegetable market, a stepwell, Kanota Fort, a royal garden in Kishangarh, and the Lake Palace Hotel.
The Bourne Supremacy
The first sequel to The Bourne Identity was shot on the beaches of Goa. The isolated Palolem Beach in South Goa was the hideout of Jason Bourne, while many places in North Goa also featured in the movie.
The Darjeeling Limited
Contrary to its name, the Wes Anderson-movie was shot mostly in Rajasthan, especially Jodhpur. Natalie Portman, who makes a cameo in the movie, traveled all the way to Jodhpur to shoot a 30-minute scene, and later spent 10 days travelling in India.
The Dark Knight Rises
Another movie shot in Jodhpur was Christopher Nolan’s 2012-action thriller. While the prison in which Bruce Wayne is held captive was built in the UK, the escape scene is shot at the popular Mehrangarh Fort, which also featured in the Hum Saath Saath Hai song, Mhare Hiwda Mein Naache Mor.
Eat Pray Love
Julia Roberts’ character travels to India for a spiritual experience in this movie. She stayed at the Ashram Hari Mandir near Delhi and a cottage at The Pataudi Palace in Pataudi. Roberts was so entranced by the country, she even converted to Hinduism during her stay here.
Jobs
The Steve Jobs biopic was shot partly in India to mark the time the Apple founder traveled to the country, visiting ashrams. Scenes from the movie were filmed in Hauz Khas Complex and Safdarjung Madarsa in Delhi, as well as in Vrindavan.
A Mighty Heart
The drama thriller based on the assassination of Daniel Pearl was shot in some parts of India as well as Pakistan. Angelina Jolie traveled to Pune and Mumbai for filming certain scenes. Iconic landmarks like the Gateway of India and Churchgate station have been featured in the film.
Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol
The climax scene of Mission Impossible 4 was shot in Mumbai. While the scene was filmed in Bora Bazaar, parts of Colaba and Marine Drive are also seen in the movie.
The Namesake
The Howrah railway station in Kolkata is seen in one of the scenes in this Irrfan Khan-starrer. Many issues propped up during the filming of the scene. Crowds gathered to catch a glimpse of the cast. As a result, a false date of the filming was issued to misdirect the excited mob.
Octopussy
Bond came to India in 1983. This Roger Moore-starrer had Bond travelling to Udaipur in Rajasthan. The movie featured various palaces such as the Hotel Shiv Niwas Palace, the Taj Lake Palace, and the Summer Palace.
Slumdog Millionaire
The movie on the slum-dwelling children of Mumbai was shot in the city itself. Scenes were filmed in Dharavi – Asia’s largest slum – and in the slums of Juhu. Certain parts were also shot in Agra.
Zero Dark Thirty
This political action thriller by Kathryn Bigelow was shot in parts of Punjab, namely Chandigarh and Patiala. While the arrest scene of Islamabad was shot at the Pinjore Gardens, the US Embassy tracking station was located at Punjab Engineering College. The aerial view of Abbottabad in the film is actually town of Manimajra in Chandigarh.