Entertainment

Hollywood Movies that Shot Major Scenes in Indian Destinations

hollywood

Just like we enjoy watching Bollywood movies shot in exotic international locations, it is thrilling to spot Indian destinations too in a Hollywood film.

So, here is the list of

Hollywood movies that shot major scenes in Indian destinations

Extraction – Ahmedabad 

This Netflix blockbuster movie stars Chris Hemsworth and Ranveer Hooda. Major shots of the movie were shot in India. Some scenes shot in the movie that pretends to be in Dhaka were actually shot in Ahmedabad of Gujarat.

Slumdog Millionaire – Mumbai 

Slumdog Millionaire is a Hollywood movie that stars Irfan Khan, Anil Kapoor, Freida Pinto and Dev Patel. This movie won many international awards and was shot in the slums of Mumbai to depict the life of people living there.

Million Dollar Arm – Agra, Delhi and Bombay

Million Dollar Arm is one of the Hollywood movies that shot major scenes in Indian destinations. The movie is based on a sports drama and is directed by Craig Gillespie. Although very few parts of the movie were shot in India, the director ensured that the shots had an interesting approach revealing how cricket is been played and worshipped diligently in India. Some of the popular destinations used in the movie include India Gate and Taj Mahal besides popular monuments in Delhi and Bombay.

The Dark Knight Rises – Jodhpur 

If you remember a scene from the movie where Batman, Bruce Wayne escape jail, it was shot in Mehrangarh Fort in Jodhpur city. The last few scenes of the Dark Knight Rises show that Batman escapes from the prison which is built in a way that no one can escape. Though, the Batman crawls through tunnels and enters in a desert-like region which is guarded by a red-brick like structure, the Mehrangarh Fort.

Tenet – Mumbai

The first movie that was screened in movie theatres amidst COVID-19 was Christopher Nolan’s Tenet. This Hollywood movie had few scenes that were shot in some parts of Mumbai such as Colaba Causeway beside Mondegar Café, behind Taj Hotel and at Breach Candy Hospital.

Eat Pray Love – Pataudi and Delhi 

Eat Pray Love is one of the Hollywood movies that shot major scenes in India. The movie stars Julia Roberts and is about discovering oneself. One-fourth of the entire movie was shot in India when Julia goes to the ashram to identify herself. This was the part that includes many scenes from Pataudi and Delhi. The movie was directed by Ryan Murphy and was a gamechanger for many worldwide readers. Some of the best parts of the movie include location, lines and people while the movie was shot in India. Elizabeth goes for a journey to Delhi spotting famous places such as Hauz Khas and India Gate. A special emphasis of the movie was an ashram that had quietness, the belief of people and historic architecture that respects the significance and details of every element. Some of the movie clips include scenes from Mirzapur in Uttar Pradesh, local eateries in the city and colourful buildings of the state.

Lion – Kolkata 

Lion is an internationally acclaimed movie which is based on a popular book named A Long Way Home written by Saroo Brierley. The movie is directed by Garth Davis and tracks the journey of the actor while he tries to find his birth mother with whom he got separated at an age of 5 in India. The movie is very well told and is heart-wrenching which reflects true India. Major parts of the movie were shot in Kolkata.

Mission Impossible 4 – Mumbai 

The fourth part of Mission Impossible series starring Tom Cruise was in the narrow pavements of Mumbai, India. The movie also stars a famous Bollywood actor, Anil Kapoor.

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button- Varanasi 

This Hollywood movie stars Brad Pitt as Benjamin Buttons. Many scenes of the movie were shot in the streets of Varanasi where Benjamin goes through an age reverse process.

The Darjeeling Limited – Jodhpur 

This Hollywood movie was directed by Wes Anderson and has many scenes shot in Jodhpur, Rajasthan. The Darjeeling Limited is a wonderful, humorous and chaotic movie starring Owen Wilson and Adrien Brody who travels India in a train. The journey of the three brothers will give you glimpses of temples in Rajasthan, endless and beautiful deserts of Jodhpur and Udaipur’s busy streets. Putting succinctly, the movie reveals the life of people living in rural areas and metropolitan cities and depicts the chaotic culture and beautiful landscapes of Rajasthan.

The Namesake- Kolkata

Directed by an Indian director Mira Nair, this Hollywood movie touches upon the lives of Indian-Americans and their culture’s identity clashes which is often faced by them. Most of the parts of the movie has been screened in India, US, Japan and Canada. Namesake did well in the box office and received praises from the critics. In short, the movie is all about contrast in the cultures namely India and America. Some of the shots were taken in the messy roads of Kolkata emphasising more on Shanti Niketan, Kalighat, Bengal markets and Howrah.

Trishna – Jaipur and Bombay

Trishna was directed by Michael Winterbottom and is an adaptation of a classic novel named Tess the d’Urbervilles of Thom Hardy which is set in modern Indian day. In the movie, a girl is swept away from her small town into a big city by a handsome guy who soon turns out to be a controlling and an abusive man. The movie reveals hard life faced by an Indian woman and how the expected duties become the priority which she can never escape. The movie depicts the best of the cultures from two cities – Bombay and Jaipur and how they are different from each other. The Best part of the movie is its direction and screening where we can see people living in the cities and their hard lives.

Life of Pi – Puducherry and Kerala 

This movie stars late Irfan Khan and gorgeous Tabu. Some parts of the movie were shot in India including Puducherry and Kerala.

Outsourced- Mumbai  

Outsourced was majorly shot in Mumbai. The story is about an international traveller who gets outsourced to India. He falls in love with an Indian girl and the story happens.

Salaam Bombay – Mumbai

This is yet another Hollywood movie directed by an Indian director, Mira Nair. Salaam Bombay is a highly acclaimed famous movie and garnered international praise due to the risky choice of the movie plot and many sensitive topis which touches the lives of people. The story is about a small boy named Krishna who is taken into the brutal and chaotic slums of Bombay due to a series of unfortunate events. Many characters are introduced by Nair to the film set that centres around Bombay’s brothel and touches the sensitive topic such as child rape, poverty, drug addiction, prostitution and child labour. Although the director incorporates many sensitive elements in the movie smoothly, viewers get the brutal glimpse of the Bombay’s unforgiving street during the 80s and 90s.

Jobs – New Delhi and Vrindavan

Jobs is another popular Hollywood movie that is based on the life history of Steve Jobs, the founder of Apple Inc. The film is directed by Joshua Michael Stern and is a mix of non-fiction and fiction. In short, the movie is about the dramatic events that took place in Steve Job’s life. We can see the snippets of Job’s life such as a spiritual trip to India during the 1970s. The movie includes a period that took place on a long trip between New Delhi and Vrindavan where Job spent a few weeks. Famous locations of Delhi are featured in the film such as Jama Masjid, Hauz Khas and Safdarjung Tomb.

A Mighty Heart – Pune 

A Mighty Heart is one of the Hollywood movies that shot major scenes in India. Starring Angelina Jolie aka Mariane Pearl, the movie depicts places in Pakistan but were shot in Indian cities including Pune and Mumbai. The story is about Mariane Pearl who is the widow of Daniel Pearl, a journalist kidnapped and murdered by Al Qaida.

Viceroy’s House – Jodhpur

A British-Indian movie, Viceroy’s House is a historic movie which reveals multiple stories related to the last British Viceroy and his family. They had seen the separation and India’s independence. Some painful events related to India-Pakistan separation has also been covered in the film along with showing cultural clashes that can be seen today. Though many criticised about the British government role at that time. The movie includes beautiful scenes that were shot in Rajasthan’s Jodhpur. The Umaid Bhavan palace was used as the centre of the movie along with old Jodhpur fort and courtyards like Mehrangarh. The movie captured the historic places beautifully without showing any scars that occurred recently.

The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel – Jaipur and Udaipur  

The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel stars Judie Dench, Dev Patel and Maggie Smith. Many scenes of the film were shot in Udaipur and Jaipur, Rajasthan. The storyline of the film is based on British retirees who travel to India for a short vacation.

Zero Dark Thirty – Chandigarh 

Zero Dark Thirty is one of the Hollywood Movie that shot major scenes in India. Many parts of the film were shot in Chandigarh city but were depicted as Pakistani cities, Lahore and Abbottabad. The movie is based on the dramatic story of a manhunt named Osama Bin Laden. Some of the shooting locations in Chandigarh city includes Punjab Engineering College along with DAV College canteen.

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