10 Villages in Bollywood Movies That Are a Must-See

Bollywood is the land of dreams, fantasies, and melodrama set against beautiful backdrops. Often these backdrops are rural and rustic, to recreate the perfect – or, in some cases, imperfect, Indian village. We love the bucolic scenery, the gaon ki goris, the song and dance and the colorful festivities.

When my family and I were driving down to Bangalore from Secundrabad, the region grew more and more rocky as we grew closer to Bangalore. Looking out of the car window was like a trip down memory lane as my brother and I reminisced about the fun we had watching Sholay over and over again. This was when our father told us that the movie was shot somewhere in this region.

Immediately, my brother and I wanted to stop and take a good look around, maybe even climb one of the rocks in the distance. It took a great deal of persuasion from my father before we gave up on the idea.

It is fascinating, isn’t it – the idea that we can see some of the places that take us back to iconic movies?

10 Villages in Bollywood movies that are a must see: 

Chamba Valley, Himachal Pradesh

Movie: Taal

Do you remember the song ‘Taal se taal milao’ from the Aishwarya Rai starring Taal? Set against majestic mountains, raging rivers and some of the most spectacular scenery, this song is memorable for more than just the admittedly lovely vision of Aishwarya dancing in the rain. The song was shot in the Chamba Valley in Himachal Pradesh and we have to admit, the choice of location was inspired. The white of Aishwarya’s suit makes for a stunning contrast with the lush, green backdrop. Chamba is definitely a place worth visiting for its spectacular scenery.

Ramgarh, Karnataka

Movie: Sholay

Ah! The memories of this movie – a quintessential Western but without the cowboy hats. The dialogues and scenes from Sholay are so iconic that they are repeated to this day. Who can forget the sounds of gunshots echoing around the rocks or Gabbar Singh with his famous dialogue, “Kitne aadmi the?” The fictional village of Ramgarh got its name from the village of Ramnagar, located in Karnataka. Even today, you can visit the village and see nature in its stark and raw form. We challenge you not to stand there and recreate Gabbar Singh’s confrontation with Thakur asking him for his arms (Yeh haath humko de de Thakur!)

Charanpur, Maharashtra

Movie: Swades

Swades is undoubtedly one of Shah Rukh Khan’s finer works. The story of a scientist from NASA searching for his roots and finding them in this simple village is one that touched all our hearts. Charanpur is a fictional village set in the Wai district, which lies on the way to the famous town of Mahabaleshwar in Maharashtra. The temple and the tank depicted in the movie is actually the Menavali Ghat, which you will find right outside Wai. The place has everything you ever imagined a typical Indian village to have – hills, temples and simple folk. Take a break from the rush of your daily life and go check out this lovely place.

Abhaneri, Rajasthan

Movie: Paheli

Paheli is memorable for its unusual storyline – a young woman falling in love with a ghost. It is also memorable for some beautiful locales – not surprising since the movie was set in the village of Abhaneri, located in Rajasthan. After all, Rajasthan is home to some of the most spectacular scenery you can find anywhere in the country. The village is located on the Agra-Jaipur highway in the district of Jausa, about 97 kilometers from Jaipur. Head to Abhaneri if you want to see some typical Rajasthani architecture.

Champaner, Gujarat

Movie: Lagaan

One of the best movies India has produced, Lagaan was even nominated for an Oscar for Best Foreign Film. Set in the times of the British Raj, the movie tells the story of a small village called Champaner that decided to stand up to its British overlords and beat them at their own game – literally. The villagers had to play and beat the English at cricket so that the British would not levy any taxes on the entire region for three years. This region is actually the village of Kanura in Gujarat. Close to Bhuj, the village is worth visiting just to get a feel of that iconic movie.

Sundarapandianpuram, Tamil Nadu

Movie: Roja

Who can forget the famous song, “Dil hai chota sa” in which Roja, played by the actress Madhoo, cavorts in waterfalls and runs through fields, revelling in her innocence? Roja was one of Mani Ratnam’s most famous movies and the film that made him famous nationwide. One of the reasons for the movie’s success was the spectacular scenery that set the scene for Roja’s beginnings. The scenery is from the village of Kutralam or Courtallam in Tamil Nadu. There are plenty of waterfalls in the region and if that isn’t reason enough to visit, the village is also called the Spa of South India thanks to the many health resorts in the area.

Purulia, West Bengal

Movie: Lootera

Lootera was truly a love story with a difference. Set in the year 1953, the movie was partly based on the O. Henry short story ‘The Last Leaf’. The story of a con artist and his scorned love had us sighing and crying, especially at the tragic end. While the latter half of the movie is set in Dalhousie, the first half was shot in the district of Purulia in West Bengal. The district is definitely worth a visit for the scenic lakes and hills.

Budbuda, Tamil Nadu

Movie: Billu

This heart-warming tale of the friendship between a famous film star and a barber who can barely make ends meet is one of our favorites. A story of a self-effacing man who is reluctant to acknowledge his friendship with a famous movie star visiting his village is full of laughs and unexpected tears. Part of the charm of this movie is the sweeping vista of paddy fields with green hills in the distance. The fictional village of Budbuda was set in the village of Pollachi in Tamil Nadu and this isn’t the first time it has been portrayed in films – many South Indian movies have used this charming little place as a backdrop. If you want to see the real India, visit this village at least once.

Badami, Karnataka

Movie: Guru

Another famous Mani Ratnam film and possibly one of Abhishek Bachchan’s best performances to date, Guru was the thinly fictionalized version of the life of Dhirubhai Ambani and ostensibly starts from the village of Badami in Gujarat. The actual village of Badami lies in the state of Karnataka and is home to some beautiful temples that draw hundreds of visitors every year. You wouldn’t want to miss the opportunity to see these temples and walk around the region where Abhishek and Aishwarya brought an iconic story to life.

Mahmudabad, Uttar Pradesh

Movie: Dedh Ishqiya

Set in the regions of the former state of Awadh and depicting the fading lifestyles of the Nawabs of that area, Dedh Ishqiya was a black comedy that appealed to our twisted sense of humor. The tale of con-men being conned and the elaborate plans concocted by the main characters kept us engrossed and was made more authentic by the Mahmudabad Palace in Barabanki in the state of Uttar Pradesh. Go for a visit to a bygone era.

Do you know of any villages that have been made famous by movies? Let us know in the comments section.