The place in the setting of films is an important element that connects with us on a different level. For anyone who lives through movies and has a filmy-keeda in them, knows how a location leaves us in awe for a long time. It’s like we prepare a bucket list of all the things that we need to do, just because a character did it.
Bollywood films know how to keep things larger than life, this is also why a lot of these films have made us fall in love with cities that we have and haven’t been to.
1. Wake Up Sid
From late night chai sessions to the iconic Bombay ki baarish, Wake Up Sid raised our expectations and how. The film showed us a new-girl in the city falling in love with it, with each passing day. It was like a guide for when we visit Mumbai – with important places and nooks in the city that were unexplored. Aisha’s perception of Mumbai left me with a bucket list of things to do in the city.
2. Queen
This was a coming of age through friendship. However, Rani started finding herself as she explored the places – Paris being one of them. The film made us witness the excitement of seeing a fully-lit Eiffel Tower. Not only that, it was also about the night life of the city, which looked more than just beautiful. Rani’s solo trip was a roller-coaster that we’d love to buy tickets to.
3. Delhi-6
Old Delhi is one of those places which seems like it has been explored enough, but that’s never the truth. And, Delhi-6 made me fall in love with the city all over again. Whether it was the constant rush in lanes, or the famous jalebi, all of it seemed so familiar yet new. The energy of the place was captured in all its essence, and the dilliwali in me was nothing but happy looking at it.
4. Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara
Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara is one of those films that portrayed a trip, like we were there. It was everything that a road trip usually sounds like, and it never seemed like the characters were acting to enjoy themselves. From the tomato festival to the sky diving, everything made us want to be there, in that moment. For that and more, Spain tops the bucket list of a lot of filmy kids.
5. Piku
Piku took us through the streets of Kolkata, while keeping it simple just like the film. It was also one of those sequences where places are associated with emotions for a character. So, while we saw the street food and some calm lanes, we also witnessed characters going on a journey to the past. The way the film showed Kolkata was truly connecting for us to watch, even if it was a glimpse.
6. Angrezi Medium
While the film was a lot about a father-daughter relationship, it also focused on the character’s (Tarika) dream of visiting London. And, her entire time in the city was about exploring a different life altogether – from living alone to having her own adventures. Tarika’s journey in London was something that was about getting to know the place gradually. It gave us all the more reasons, to want to tick it off our list.
8. Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani
As we grow up, deep down all we want is to plan a trip with friends, and Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani didn’t help in suppressing that feeling. The film was all about a hiking trip up to Manali, with some focus on the food and culture of the place. It looked exactly like how we imagined our unplanned trips to be. And, watching Naina in awe of everything made me see the place differently.
8. English Vinglish
English Vinglish is one of those films where the character literally grows, as and when they start falling in love with a city. For Shashi, it was visiting New York. We’ve seen enough films and shows that are set in the city, but looking at it through a character who was in literal awe of it was definitely how we all feel. I know, I do. The film gave us a mini-tour which was all about the rush and the energy of New York.
9. Kedarnath
The film aimed at portraying Kedarnath in its absolute beauty. It was a love-story, but that didn’t stop it from being focused just at that. The cinematography was all about crisp and artistic visuals of the place. And, it even went on to portray the cultural tourism associated with the place. Watching all of this on-screen was a relatively different experience.
10. Veer Zaara
I don’t know if it was the love-story or the fact that everything seemed so out-of-a-book, but Veer Zaara’s portrayal of Punjab is something that has stayed after all this while. From sarson ke khet to a classic lohri celebration, it was everything that we read and hear about the city. And, there’s no denying that the songs added to the vibe, which again, were a lot about the place.
They were a whole another experience.