8 Indian Films That Gave Us Wanderlust

Films have the power to take you places. Literally and figuratively. Not only do they make you ponder, but quite often, they also transport you to their own charming, magnetic world. They hook you to their scenic locales, snowclad escapades and breezy waves in a way that you are compelled to add them to the bucket list of places you’d want to visit someday.

On India’s National Tourism Day (January 25), here’s a list of some of these beautiful spots, popularized even further by the films they got featured in.

One of the primary reasons why Goa continues to be the it place in pop culture is Dil Chahta Hai. It made trips with friends look cool. And the beautiful Chapora Fort overlooking the sea – the spot where the three friends sit and reflect upon their lives to come – is, till date, referred to as the Dil Chahta Hai waala fort (ideal for the Goa check-in pictures for groups of friends).

Rasta Cafe, off the Bangalore-Mysore highway, is considered Bangalore’s beloved “long drive” destination. It was further popularized by Bangalore Days where in a song Dulquer Salmaan is seen painting on the wall with others inside this cafe, a hang-out spot for the main characters.

Remember the spot where Rancho aka Phunsukh Wangdoo (Aamir Khan) revealed his identity and finally reunited with the love of his life and runaway bride, Pia (Kareena Kapoor)? Shot around a corner of the Pangong Tso Lake – a beautiful, sparkling lake surrounded by picturesque mountains and the stunning blue sky, it makes for a magical sight that can heal the soul.

The main female protagonist played by Nithya Menen is an architect. On a brief visit to Ahmedabad for work, where she meets the Pritzker Prize winning BV Doshi, she sees the Jama Masjid, the Sabarmati Ashram, and Rani Ki Vav. She is also seen in Amdavad ni Gufa, an underground art gallery, designed by BV Doshi, with artwork by M.F. Husain.

Remember the Kapoor & Sons bungalow? As dysfunctional – and real – as the Kapoor family was, their house brought in a contrasting feeling. It looked like the ideal holiday home, with cozy views of the lush greens and clear skies of a hill station. Located in Connoor, Ooty, that house is in fact, a homestay – 180° Mclver, a heritage villa now popularly known among tourists as the Kapoor & Sons house.

Known as Cafe Agape in Premam, Pepper House Cafe in Kochi is in Fort Kochi. This is the artisanal bakery that Nivin Pauly’s character runs with his childhood friend.

There’s something so beautiful about hill stations and love stories. When Barfi (Ranbir Kapoor) sees Shruti (Ileana D’Cruz) for the first time, he cycles, as she sits on a black and blue, cutesy toy train emanating steam amid its trip around the quaint terrains and streets of Darjeeling. The railway, in fact, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, built between 1879 and 1881.

Bekal Fort, one of the biggest forts in Kerala, around 10-15 km from Kasaragod, was popularized by the song ‘Tu Hi Re’ or ‘Uyire’ from the movie Bombay, shot during the tempestuous, violently green monsoons.

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