Zareen Khan’s TV debut show, Jeep Bollywood Trails, is your chance at reliving Bollywood blockbusters through the locales they were shot at. By Chahak Mittal
Did you feel like going on a trekking trip to Manali after watching Yeh Jawaani Hai Diwani? Or going on a family vacation to Kolkata after watching Piku? Or perhaps taking a trip to Leh Ladakh and visit the famous Pangong Lake after watching 3 Idiots? Bollywood films have also been about their exotic shooting locations as much as they have been about their actors and dreamy plots. Remember the Swarovski Kristallwelten in Wattens, Austria, in Chal Mere Bhai where Salman Khan and Karishma Kapoor take a short detour? Also, Indian tourists flocking to Switzerland after watching the 1995 blockbuster DDLJ (Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge) is yet another example of how people have associated their aspirations with film locales. However, ever heard of the background stories of what went into the making of the film at such spots?
Actor Zareen Khan, who is set to make her small screen debut, will bring all such locations under one roof and meet the Bollywood directors of the films that have been shot there in AXN’s Jeep Bollywood Trails. Hosting the show, she will travel across the length and breadth of India in a Jeep revisiting the exact locations where films like 3 Idiots, Jab We Met, Dhadak and more were shot.
“I am so excited for the show to go on air since its my TV debut and I have been a passionate traveller. I am going to relive the iconic locations featured in blockbuster films. It would be a delight for the audience to see how film directors think of a certain location and make them part of their stories. It’s exciting for me to weave together these stories for the audience. What more could I have asked for?” she says and laughs.
Discussing more about the show has to offer, she tells us that the series begins with her driving to Ladakh to revisit the Chail Palace, the Druk School and Pangong Lake, where 3 Idiots was extensively shot. It features a discussion between her and director Rajkumar Hirani who talks about his early life and his love for mountains which inspired him to pick Ladakh as one of the locations for the film.
She adds, “From eating their favourite to going to their favourite spots in that city, the directors explore a lot more than just the film background in the show. And we are doing it all on wheels, while driving. I drive all over the country and when you are doing that, you get an even better experience of the location you’re in.”
The other locations and directors covered in the series are Manali for Jab We Met featuring Imtiaz Ali, Shimla for Bang Bang featuring Siddharth Anand, Varanasi for Raanjhanaa featuring Anand L Rai and Udaipur for Dhadak featuring Shashank Khaitan.
In a way, the show also aims at reviving the essence of a particular film through the location it was shot at. However, since old time classics have been a huge mirror to tourists making their way to such locations, shouldn’t they have been included too? These are all recent contemporary films. Zareen agrees. She says, “Of course, but this is what the makers of the show decided as of now. But I am also sure that once it clicks with the audience, they are going to look into the past. Maybe when we get into the second season of the show, then they might choose some classics. Currently, we are aiming at showcasing how these Bollywood directors have taken inspiration from the rich history, culture, people and natural landscapes to make all these destinations worth a visit. These films have in a way given a special identity to these places as well.”
Travelling with a crew comes with its own challenges. On one hand, where Ladakh is about adventure and thrill, Udaipur, on the other, is more about history, heritage and culture. So how challenging it was to get accustomed to different places, varying in temperatures as well as ethnicity? Zareen says, “I think challenges double up for people when they are not frequent travellers. And if somebody who hasn’t explored much was made a part of this show, s/he would have faced a lot of difficulty. But I have been an avid traveller and I am very well aware how different places have different joys to offer. And I just cherish that rather than looking it as a challenge.”
However, there was one time when it all seemed too difficult for Zareen. She shares an anecdote, “When you are travelling to different places, there are so many things happening on the go. I remember that in Ladakh, it was a very challenging drive. We hadn’t realised that while driving up the hill pass, we’ll have to be really prepared for it. None of us were, neither with clothes nor with the vehicles. Of course, Jeep was head on but other cars weren’t. The more they went up, the more they started slipping back since the roads were on a slope and there was snow. Even though you have known that it’s a difficult terrain, driving and experiencing it yourself makes you believe it. It was very difficult. We were freezing and almost exhausted while driving up the slopes for three hours. But then, finally, the moment we reached the Pangong Lake, we forgot all about it. It was worth all the hassle! And I think that’s the beauty of travelling.”
(The show will air every Saturday at 8 pm from January 25 on AXN.)