The mercury dips, like how, in these beautifully shot Bollywood flicks! They bring alive the hill station charm and the travel bug in those who love the winters. The next time you're looking at using your stock of jackets and boots, get inspired by these 5 Bollywood movies shot in Incredible India.
Dalhousie/Lootera
Vikramaditya Motwane's Lootera, starring Ranveer Singh and Sonakshi Sinha, brings out Dalhousie's snowy beauty like no other. The charming hill station in Chamba district of Himachal Pradesh is situated on five hills at 2,400 metres above sea level. Snow-laden winding roads, old wooden houses, and oak, deodar and pine covered valleys mark Dalhousie, which was established in 1854 by the British Empire in India as a summer retreat for its troops and bureaucrats.
Lootera is Balaji and Phantom’s first co-production, a classic love story set in the '50s. The unit was to start its first schedule in Dalhousie when it started snowing heavily... and the snow was so intense that the set was destroyed. Ranveer was stranded at Jammu airport for two days and Sonakshi couldn't step out of her room. The schedule was completed nevertheless, with some scenes shot in artificial snow. The raw beauty of Dalhousie has, however, come out in the most tempting way in this film.
Manali/ Yeh Jawani Hai Deewani
Yet another hill station in Himachal, Manali looks like a paradise in Ayan Mukherjee’s Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani, starring Ranbir Kapoor and Deepika Padukone. Sitting at an altitude of 2,050 m (6,726 ft) above sea level in the Beas River Valley, the snowy wonder is located in the Kullu district, about 270 km (168 mi) north of the state capital, Shimla.
The film has captured some of the most beautiful locales in Manali with Ranbir and Deepika, including a long shot at Hidimba Devi Temple. Since Manali doesn't have a perennial snow cover, the trekking trip was shot in J&K region, but come winters and the lush green valleys of Manali take on pristine white snowy sheets in the most serene and beautiful way. The film, with its impressive cinematography, has inspired many to take on daunting treks.
Leh/3 Idiots
Aamir Khan starrer 3 Idiots was shot at this picture-perfect lake. Also called Pangong Tso or the Hollow Lake, this lake is one of the largest salt water lakes in Asia, spread on a 100 km area. At an altitude of 14,000 ft, extending from India to Tibet, this long and narrow blue lake is landlocked and turns to white in winters as it freezes over. It then becomes an ice skating festival venue for skaters from all around the world.
The climax of 3 Idiots was shot at the dazzling turquoise-blue waters of the lake, against the backdrop of Ladakh's towering peaks. With this film, Leh and Ladakh secured their place as the mecca for travel junkies in the country.
Darjeeling/Barfi
Anurag Basu's Barfi has captured the most enchanting locales of Darjeeling with the adorable Ranbir Kapoor and the delicate Ileana D'cruz - from the clock tower, through Glenary's Cafe to the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway. The hill station is located in the Mahabharat Range or Lesser Himalaya at 6,700 ft (2,042.2 m) above sea level. It is known for its tea industry and the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The crew made sure Darjeeling's picturesque best was covered in the film, especially the misty look of a typical Darjeeling morning. The landscapes take on a colourful look in this film, and the small town simple life of the place is brought out with Ranbir cycling along the muddy slopes and beautifully fenced pathways.
Kashmir/Rockstar
The position of Kashmir in every travel buff's bucket list is secured, stamped and sealed. So many movies have been shot in the valley that it no longer needs endorsement. Kashmir is the northwestern region of the Indian subcontinent, which until the mid-19th century, geographically denoted only the valley between the Great Himalayas and the Pir Panjal mountain range. Today, it denotes a larger area that includes territories administered by India, Pakistan and China.
Imtiaz Ali's Ranbir Kapoor - Nargis Fakhri starrer Rockstar, however, has used its cinematography most effectively to highlight Kashmir's beauty. Nargis Fakhri's character is from Kashmir, so a portion of the film was about her wedding and she wore the traditional Kashmiri bride attire. Movie buffs got a taste of everyday life in the quaint wooden homes and narrow streets in the city... the family life, the wedding rituals and the folk music.
5 exotic snowy locations to choose from... All you winter enthusiasts might want to make your reservations and raid the attic to ferret out all that winter trek gear!