Travel with the Movies

FROM THE PUBLISHER

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Preface............................... 4

Delhi.................................... 6

Agra..................................40

Lucknow........................... 54

Varanasi............................ 64

Shimla............................... 80

Kasauli.............................. 92

Nainital............................102

Amritsar.......................... 110

Kashmir...........................122

Ladakh.............................136

Udaipur............................146

Jaisalmer.........................162

Mumbai............................ 176

Western.Ghats...............208

Goa.................................. 228

Gujarat............................ 248

Kolkata............................272

Darjeeling....................... 292

Ooty................................302

Kerala...............................314

ContentsSheema Mookherjee October 2013

This is a first-time book for India! How often we must’ve wanted to travel to every place we’ve seen in the movies. The Ladakh of Aamir and Kareena in 3 Idiots, the Kasauli of Hrithik in Krrish, the Kutch of

Salman and Aishwarya in Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam…

Indian film-makers have revelled in bringing beautiful locations to their viewers through the lens – from India’s magnificent mountains to lovely lakes, beaches, waterfalls, and historic forts, palaces and temples. Movies have familiarised us with our own country, often inspiring us to travel to locations where they’ve been shot.

Filmi Escapes – Travel with the Movies combines the fascinating worlds of travel and cinema – making both the fantasies come true. So pick up this guide and re-live every cinematic moment that makes travel destinations special. Use the specialist information provided by the world’s leading travel expert on hotels, transport, food and sightseeing, and enjoy the filmi moments intertwined with each place. Follow the recommendations by big names of cinema, such as Karan Johar, Mahesh Bhatt and Muzaffar Ali, and feel as carefree as the stars as you explore these gorgeous destinations.

The book is crammed with photographs and travel tips, as well as stunning shots from films and amusing anecdotes about the actors who have made these places come alive. Enjoy your ‘safar’ filmi style!

India on the Silver ScreenPREFACE

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IndIa on the SIlver Screen

Dibakar BanerjeeOctober 2013

The summer of 1977. I was about eight years old, a curious, playful boy in a West Delhi colony. That’s the time Kanu and Timsi walked into my life, transporting me to the cool climes of Kashmir.

Newlyweds, the duo escaped to snow-draped landscapes to mark the beginning of the new chapter in their lives. And they sure knew how to have fun in the snow, singing and dancing away against a backdrop of white peaks, pine trees and log huts.

To this day, I cherish that ‘trip’ to Kashmir. I owe it to the man who introduced millions of Indians to their own country: Yash Chopra. Kanu and Timsi are characters from his film, Doosra Aadmi, played by real-life couple Rishi Kapoor and Neetu Singh. Doosra Aadmi showed me how cinema, especially Bollywood, treats ‘location’ as a character in its stories. And, somewhere, it gave birth to the traveller in me. I imagined myself in the same locale, running around trees and hurling snowballs.

In the same year I watched Amar Akbar Anthony – a true-to-formula Hindi popcorn film. Among the many hit songs it gave us, my favourite is ‘Humko tumse ho gaya hain pyar kya kare’. I could visualise myself in a buggy with the lovely Parveen Babi, racing down a secluded Mumbai (then Bombay) beach. When I arrived in Mumbai in 1991, as a trainee, I remember looking for a buggy on the beach.

Exploring a destination on screen is as old as Indian cinema. Thanks to song sequences, directors have travelled to all corners of the country. In some cases, the climax of a film is set against a backdrop far removed from where the story pans out.

A milestone in Indian cinema's love affair with locations is Sholay; the blockbuster was shot almost entirely at Ramanagaram (near Bangalore), a place no one had even heard of until the film came along.

I've heard that tourist guides in many such destinations use filmi anecdotes to make their narratives more interesting. They will tell you how many cameras were used, how many dancers there were, from which direction the heroine ran into the frame, how the hero jumped into the scene to take the villain by surprise and so on.

One of my favourite film-makers is Satyajit Ray, a man whose passion for detailing and travel came across beautifully in his films. One of the most commendable portrayals of Varanasi in Indian cinema is Ray’s Aparajito. The serpentine alleys, the crowded ghats, the crumbling mansions, the temples, the slow, uneventful life of the Bengali diaspora... every scene in Aparajito is like a page in a guide to Varanasi.

India is truly blessed when it comes to locations. In two of my films, I have used Delhi, my hometown. If I make another Delhi film, I’d like to use the Metro Railway and show how it has changed lives in the capital. Fort Kochi is where I would love to film a murder mystery. If I do end up making the film, you will discover yet another gem of a destination through the eyes of a movie camera.

Tourist guides in many destinations use filmi anecdotes to make their narratives more interesting. They will tell you how many cameras were used, how many dancers there were, from which direction the heroine ran into the frame, how the hero jumped into the scene to take the villain by surprise and so on...

‘

‘

Doosra Aadmi showed me how cinema, especially Bollywood, treats ‘location’ as a character in its stories. And, somewhere, it gave birth to the traveller in me. I imagined myself in the same locale, running around trees and hurling snowballs.

3 4

LAGAAN MIRCH MASALA GURU MANTHAN

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Gujarat

Nothing like a flat, bare, brown expanse to set off glittering surfaces and colours made of fire and earth. ‘Aag hawa paani ko milaya, to phir ye tasveer bani’ (a portrait made of fire, wind, and water), goes a song in Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam

(1999). While it seeks to describe heroine Aishwarya Rai, playing the ebullient Nandini, it is also a brilliant description of Kutch — the elemental desert terrain of Gujarat that is so attractive to film-makers. This Sanjay Leela Bhansali film is remembered for several reasons: the birth of Ajay Devgn as a romantic hero; Ismail Darbari’s haunting melodies including KK’s ‘Tadap tadap ke iss dil se…’; Neeta Lulla’s arresting costumes, and the much talked about Salman Khan–Aishwarya affair.

Beauty in barrenness is something that Kutch, the white salt desert sprawled out on India’s border with Pakistan, has given the world to think about. And that includes the world of Indian cinema. The white desert is a rare sight, and it is exploited well by JP Dutta in Refugee (2000), the debut film for both Abhishek Bachchan and Kareena Kapoor. Abhishek plays

Aishwarya as a Gujarati belle in Guru

a boy who guides illegal border crossing groups to Pakistan through the salty marshes of the Rann of Kutch. The full moon on salt flats creates magic on the screen.

Kutch was also India’s face at the Oscars. Aamir Khan’s period drama Lagaan (2001), entirely shot in Kutch, is still the only Indian film to be nominated for the best non-English language category. ‘With love, care and concern for the people of Kutch,' goes the dedication in Lagaan. The narrative of the film, in Amitabh Bachchan’s voice, announces that the

Above L–R: The Mirch

Masala women;

Aamir Khan plays an

oppressed farmer in

Lagaan

5 6Gujarat

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Why goWhile the capital city Ahmedabad retains some charm amid its chaos, the countryside holds most of this state’s treasures. Traditional artisans in Kutch's tribal villages weave, embroider, dye and print some of India’s finest textiles. And colourful festivals burst with a cornucopia of culture across the state. Gujarat also claims a special relationship to the life and work of Mahatma Gandhi.

GETTING THEREAir: Ahmedabad’s busy airport has direct flights to all major Indian cities. And from here, you can also take trains or flights to Bhuj, the headquarters of the Kutch district, and to Rajkot. Both Bhuj and Rajkot are also connected by air to Mumbai.

Rail: There are several trains connecting Ahmedabad to Mumbai and Delhi. There are daily trains from Ahmedabad to both Bhuj and Rajkot.

GETTING AROUNdAutorickshaws are aplenty in Gujarat and mostly run by meter.

GREAT FOR .

BEST TIME TO VISITJ F M A M J J A S O N D

Quick Facts

Highlights• Ahmedabad: Tackle a thali, explore the

old-city mosques, and pay homage to Mahatma Gandhi.

• Villages.of.Kutch:.Admire and acquire some of India’s best textiles.

• Little.Rann: Go looking for wild asses on the flat salt plains.

Beautiful mirrorwork from Kutch

AHMEDABAD

1.SAbARMAti.AShRAM..About 5km north of the centre, in peaceful, shady grounds on the Sabarmati River’s west bank, this ashram was Gandhi’s headquarters from 1917 to 1930 during the long struggle for Indian independence. It’s said Gandhi chose this site because it lay between a jail and a cemetery, and any satyagrahi was bound to end up in one or the other. From here, on 12 March 1930, Gandhi and 78 companions set out on the Salt March to Dandi on the Gulf of Cambay in a symbolic protest, with Gandhi vowing not to return to the ashram until India had gained independence. The ashram was disbanded in 1933, later becoming a centre for Dalit welfare activities and cottage industries. Gandhi’s poignant, spartan living quarters are preserved, and there’s a museum that presents an informative record of his life and teachings. After Gandhi’s death some of his ashes were immersed in the river in front of the ashram.www.sabarmati.org;.Ashram.Rd;.8.30am–6.30pm

2.CALiCO.MUSeUM.Of.textiLeSThis museum contains one of the world’s finest collections of antique and modern Indian textiles, all handmade and up to 500 years old. There are some astoundingly beautiful pieces,

Calico Museum showcases the history of Indian textiles

7 8Gujarat

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4 Accommodation

AhMeDAbADRoyal.Orchid.Central.. .Hotel ```%079-30912345;.www.royalorchidhotels.com;.ellis.bridge;.s.`7000–8000,.d.`8000–9000,.ste.`12,000.(all.incl.breakfast).Opposite Gujarat College, this luxury hotel has a waterfall in the lobby and aromatheraphy in the air. Rooms are tasteful and comfortable, with state-of-the-art gadgets, including universal electrical sockets and iPod docks. There’s an excellent 24-hour restaurant and coffee shop. Free airport transfers too.

Le.Meridien.Ahmedabad.. .Hotel ``%079-25505505;.http://lemeridien.com/ahmedabad;.Khanpur.Rd;.s/d.from.`6500/7500,.ste.`20,000.(all.incl.breakfast).This luxurious option towers over the Sabarmati River’s east bank. All rooms are super comfortable – making cheaper rooms the best deal – and the suites are palatial. Breakfast is excellent and as huge as you like, and there is a neat indoor swimming pool, spa and sauna. Ask for the best available rate, which can be about half the rack rate.

hotel.Royal.highness.. .Hotel ``%079-25507450;.www.hotelroyalhighness.com;.Lal.Darwaja;.s/d.from.`2750/3300.(incl.breakfast).The lobby is a bit tacky, with wood panelling and glass

chandeliers, but the rooms are.tasteful, spacious.and clean. Deluxe rooms feature zebra-print furnishings and sparkling bathrooms with big, glassed-in showers. There is a 24-hour restaurant, free airport shuttle service, and helpful staff, all in a great location.

hotel.Ambassador.. .Hotel ``%079-25502490;.www.ambassadorahmedabad.com;.Khanpur.Rd;.s/d.from.`2100/2500.With a bright white exterior and modern decor inside, the Ambassador greets you with a chilled lobby and friendly desk. It follows up with rooms that are quite stylish in browns and creams. With discounts often available, it’s good value; ask to have breakfast included and it will be.

Ritz.inn.. .Hotel ``%079-22123842;.www.hotelritzinn.com;.Station.Rd;.s.`2700.–2900,.d.`3300–4800.Near the railway station, this smart hotel has unusual class and is excellent value for money. The art-deco lobby, comfortable rooms with superb beds, and unusually slick and amiable service make it an outstanding option. There’s a good veg restaurant, checkout is a civilised 24 hours, discounts are often available and it offers free airport and station transfers.

Comfort.inn.President.. .Hotel ``%079-26467575;.www.comfortinnpresident.com;.off.CG.Rd,.

Navrangpura;.s/d.from.`3125/3750.(incl.breakfast).This is a calm, well-run hotel on a quiet street close to the Chimanlal Girdharilal (CG) Road shops in middle-class Navrangpura. Rooms aren’t huge but are solidly comfortable and well equipped, and there’s an in-house wine shop as well as a multi-cuisine restaurant. Good discounts are often available; airport transfers are free.

house.of.MG.. .Heritage ``%079-25506946;.www.houseofmg.com;.Lal.Darwaja;.s/d.from.`4990/6490,.ste.from.`9990/11,900.(all.incl.breakfast).This 1920s building (with two excellent restaurants) opposite Siddi Sayid’s Mosque was once the home of textile magnate Sheth Mangaldas Girdhardas; it was converted into a beautiful heritage hotel in the 1990s by his great-grandson. All the rooms are vast, verandah-edged and masterfully decorated, with a homey yet luxurious

ambience. It’s an icon of the upper classes, and hugely popular. Service is first-rate, and the indoor swimming pool and gym are divine. If you know your dates, book in advance online to receive a discount of up to.30%.

hotel.Volga.. .Hotel `%079-25509497;.www.hotelvolga.in;.off.Relief.Rd,.hanuman.Lane,.Lal.Darwaja;.s/d.`750/850,.s.with.AC.`950–1200,.d.with.AC.`1150–1400.This surprisingly good option tucked down a narrow street behind the House of MG is worth searching out. Rooms are smart and respectably clean, with a hint of 1970s design in the curved beige walls – some are more dashingly decorated. The front desk is friendly and efficient, checkout is 24 hours, and you can order decent multi-cuisine food (mains `95 to `175) to your room.

Hotel Ambassador offers stylish rooms at reasonable rates

9 10Gujarat