The mighty Himalayas, hot chocolate weather, and lush green meadows of Shimla not only attract passionate travelers, but also another equally passionate group of individuals- filmmakers.
There’s just something about the hills of Shimla that make movies so much more cinematic!
That trait alone has made Shimla one of Bollywood’s go-to filming locations and has featured in multiple movies since the late ’60s. Veteran actors like Dev Anand, Rajesh Khanna, and Dharmendra have often landed at Shimla for their filming projects.
With that being said, I’m not one who’s watched a large number of their movies, so today we’ll stick to movies that are younger in nature (like me!) and shot in some of Shimla’s scenic spots.
Three Idiots
Who can ever forget Farhan, Raju, and Chatur (Silencer) driving around the picturesque hills of Shimla while in search of their long-lost college friend Rancho? The movie literally begins with the trio making their journey from Delhi to Shimla by road!
Speaking of which, we at the Nilaya are located in Mashobra, and if you’ve ever wondered how to get here from Delhi, you can read all about it right here!
3 Idiots eventually racked up the highest opening day collections for an Indian Film until that point and had a number of scenes shot in Town Hall and the Ritz.
Jab We Met
Aditya and Geet’s bittersweet love story almost has a cult-like following of its own. “Aaoge Jab Tum Sajna”, one of the film’s famous songs, was shot at Mall Road, which is an equally famous location in Shimla. Mountain Railway and Summer Hill Area were also featured in the film, which was one of 2007’s blockbusters.
Black
Black, a 2005 movie that shows us the power of the human spirit through the journey of a blind girl and her teacher was predominantly shot in Shimla. The scenes that show our lead character feel snow for the first time are often touted as ground-breaking storytelling, and I can’t help but imagine that Shimla’s magic had something to do with it as well. Starring Rani Mukherjee and Amitabh Bachhan in the lead roles, Shimla’s Woodville Palace was shown as the house of Michelle McNally (Mukherjee).
Udaan
Udaan might’ve been a film that went under the radar at the box office, but the coming of age story based on the life of film director Anurag Kashyap is regarded as a classic in the field of Indian Cinema. Shimla’s very own Bishop Cotton School, which is one of Asia’s oldest boarding schools founded in the year 1859 is where the film’s protagonist Rohan studies before being expelled and sent back home, where his journey to becoming a writer begins.
Tamasha
Tamasha, a more recent Bollywood flick starring Ranbir Kapoor and Deepika Padukone as Ved and Tara was filmed for a brief number of scenes in Shimla. And that makes perfect sense to me! Who wouldn’t want to shoot a romantic film in one of the most romantic cities in the world?
Ranbir Kapoor plays the role of Shimla boy Ved, before moving to Delhi to pursue a job. The romantic drama featured scenes shot in Jakhu Temple, SummerHill, and of course the famed Toy Train as well.
Also, if you’re looking to make things permanent with your significant other and are planning a proposal in the hills, we offer lots of support (even emotional!) at the Nilaya. Do you need a guide on how to go about that one special moment? We’ve got it perfectly sorted for you here!
I think it’s fair to say that Shimla’s beauty will continue to attract filmmakers from not just India but maybe even the world, and for good reason too!
I made an attempt to share some of my favorites but did I miss out on any movies that came to your mind when you read this post’s title? If yes, then let me know some of them, it’ll be a pleasure to indulge in some good movies over the weekend :D