The serpentine alleys and crowded ghats of Varanasi, postcard beauty of Kashmir and the spectacular golden desert of Jaisalmer have been Bollywood favourites. In an interesting guide, Filmi Escapes-Travel with the Movies, Juhi Saklani writes how filmmakers captured the spirit of Indian cities. By Divya Kaushik
As some five-year-old I would not have known that women in Kashmir wear phirans, they sell flowers on shikaras and house boats in Kashmir are real versions of the doll’s houses I fancied, if I would not have watched quirky Shammi Kapoor singing in a shikara to impress the coy, very beautiful Sharmila Tagore in Tareef Karu Kya Uski….from Kashmir Ki Kali. It was not just me, perhaps for most Bollywood buffs the movie and the song sequence was an introduction to the postcard beauty of Kashmir. Think Kashmir and apart from Shammi Kapoor, shikara and Sharmila Tagore, image of youthful Saira Banu singing, Kashmir Ki Kali Hu Mai would come to mind. In the similar vein, the splendid mustard fields donning the yellow like a newly-wed bride would only remind us of Raj and Simram from Dilwale Dulhaniya le Jayenge (DDlJ) and some other Yash Chopra films. In short, we all have our own sweet memories of the mustard fields and other things about Punjab, courtesy Yash Chopra films. Filmmakers and where they shot have always influenced our travel plans and have lent a unique character to several locations, in India and abroad. Keeping this in mind lonely Planet came up with Filmi Escapes-Travel with the Movies, a first-of-its kind travel guide exploring popular destinations across India through the eyes of the filmmaker.
Indian filmmakers have revelled in bringing beautiful locations to the cineaste through the lens — from India’s magnificent mountains to lovely lakes, golden beaches to gushing waterfalls, historic forts and palaces to the cacophony of our towns and cities. Films have familiarised us with our own country, often inspiring us to travel to locations where they have been shot. The guide combines the fascinating worlds of travel and cinema, making both the fantasies come true. It has been written and researched by Juhi Saklani, and the other information that you will find in the guide, like best places to eat, sightseeing and stay details have been incorporated by the lonely Planet experts. But the credit for taking us through the marvellous landscapes, interesting anecdotes and why a certain filmmaker chose a particular location, goes to Juhi, a self-confessed movie maniac who watched Sholay 37 times and mourned Dev Anand and Shammi Kapoor’s demise with a day off.
“The guide focusses on popular locations like Kashmir, Udaipur, Amritsar, Mumbai and Gujarat, the places without which it is difficult to imagine some Bollywood films. For example, it is difficult to imagine Kashmir without thinking of Shammi Kapoor and Udaipur without thinking of those spectacular romantic scenes shot with Sadhna and Sunil Dutt in Mera Saaya. Along with those locations, we have also included cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Agra, Goa, hill stations like Kasauli, Shimla, Nainital, Ooty and also ladakh to show how the character of these places has come out strongly through some recent films. For example, when I have written about ladakh I have mentioned about 3 Idiots, I have written why Kasauli was chosen to shoot Koi Mil Gaya and captured Goa through films like Golmaal 3 and Josh. Also I like the way some films like Vicky Donor brought out the character and spirit of modern Delhi and how Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi gave a glimpse of contemporary yet traditional Amritsar. So the book has come out as a good mix talking about some Bollywood classics and contemporary films,” says Juhi.
Did you know that Shammi Kapoor’s ashes were immersed in the Dal lake to honour his association with, and love for Kashmir and the lakeIJ Umrao Jaan was extensively shot in lucknow but not at well-known tourist spots. Muzaffar Ali chose the fading and crumbling Jahangirabad and palace and Baradari as well as small havelis in Malihabad, a town famous for mangoes and just a short drive from lucknow. The CVN Kalari Centre in Kozhikode has trained several actors in the ancient martial form of Kalaripayattu, including Jackie Chan for The Myth, Shah Rukh Khan and Kareena Kapoor for Asoka and Abhishek Bachchan and Vikram for Raavan. A cricket team called lagaan XI was formed in Bhuj after Aamir Khan starrer blockbuster. Aamir, the producer of the movie, arranged a show for the villagers in Bhuj’s Sur Madir hall and adopted a village for rehabilitation after the devastating earthquake of 2001. There are such interesting anecdotes and little facts shared by the author at the end of every chapter. “My source for all such information has been the local guides, associate directors and other insiders from the film industry,” informs the author.
The interesting aspect of the book is how the writer draws parallel between some films shot at the same location and how different the character of the polace has been in both the films. For instance, between Kashmir Ki Kali and Ranbir Kapoor’s Rockstar and the Mirch Masala and Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam. “There was a time when Indian filmmakers were only interested in shooting abroad but over the years the focus has again come to India and with stories based in the hinterlands, small villages and towns have also come to light. I liked the way Paan Singh Tomar brought out the character of Chambal and Dhanbad was captured so well in Gangs of Wasseypur. It was also important to talk about how the focus has again come to Kashmir, thanks to Bollywood, it is again a preferred location. Films like Jab Tak Hai Jaan and Rockstar have brought the tourists back to the place. It is to show how our films have been an important tool in promoting the tourism and trade of many places in India and they continue to do so,” says Juhi.
The guide also has people like Dibakar Banerjee, Karan Johar, Muzaffar Ali and Mahesh Bhatt talking about their favourite silver screen moments. “One of my favourite filmmakers 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,” shares Dibakar Banerjee in the guide.