When it comes to Bollywood movies, often what we see is far removed from reality – and no, I am not just talking about the gravity-defying heroes we have in our action films. I am also talking about the gorgeous locations shown in the films.
Here are a few instances where movies had us believing they were shot in a completely different place than the actual location:
1. Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani
The hills that Bunny and Naina trek upon, and where Bunny tells Naina “main udna chahta hoon, girna chahta hoon”… are actually a part of Gulmarg, and not Manali, like it’s shown in the movie.
2. Mary Kom
In the biopic, the scenes showcasing Mary Kom’s hometown have not been shot in Manipur, but rather, in Himachal Pradesh.
3. Kuch Kuch Hota Hai
Remember the camp where Anjali and Rahul, through a series of tricks, finally meet? Yeah, it’s not in Shimla like the movie shows. It was actually shot at Wenlock Downs in Ooty. Even Rahul and Anjali’s college, St. Xaviers, was not really a college in Mumbai but rather, the campus of University of Mauritius.
4. Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham
It is highly doubtful that anyone thought the Raichands, with a haveli bigger than our mohallas, were actually living in Chandni Chowk, as the movie claims. The scenes showcasing the outside of the house were shot at the Waddesdon Manor, London, while the rest of Chandni Chowk was recreated in Film City.
5. Veer-Zaara
The film that was made with the primary purpose to make the audience cry was actually shot at the Pataudi Palace (Zaara’s house) and Khalsa college in Amritsar (court scenes).
6. Chennai Express
Chennai is beautiful, but it wasn’t the location where the movie was shot. Rather, parts of the film were actually shot at Wai, near Pune, which has been a popular choice for other filmmakers too.
7. Fanaa
The snow-covered lands that became the exotic background for Rehan and Zooni’s love story were shot in Poland, and not Kashmir.
8. Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam
In the scenes where Nandini is searching for Sameer, Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s epic love saga showcased Budapest as Italy.
9. Gadar: Ek Prem Katha
The part of the film that was supposed to be based in Pakistan, was actually shot in Lucknow, including the famous hand-pump scene that was shot at the Constantia building in La Martiniere College-Lucknow.
10. Mohabbatein
It wasn’t a college in India, but the Longleat House of England that became the famous Gurukul, with Parampara, Pratishtha, and Anushasan as its guiding principle.
11. Dabangg
Dabangg, which was supposed to be set in Laalgunj, Uttar Pradesh, was actually shot in Wai, Pune. Some parts were even shot in the United Arab Emirates.
12. Bajrangi Bhaijaan
Though in the film Munni belonged to Sultanpur, Pakistan, the scenes were shot at places like Sonamarg and Zoji La, in the Kashmir Valley.
13. Student of the Year 2
The Forest Research Institute in Dehradun actually made up St. Teresa’s High School, Dehradun. And some scenes were also shot in Srinagar and parts of Kashmir.
What a shot!