Bollywood’s fascination for Banaras

Besides Dhanush and Sonam Kapoor, there’s a third, very significant character in Raanjhanaa — the city of Banaras. Director Aanand L Rai says that the city defines the characters and the ambience of the movie. And with that, Raanjhanaa joins a long list of movies that have depicted the glory, beauty and the dark side of Banaras.
Way back in the 1950s, Satyajit Ray shot Aparajito in Banaras, capturing its ghats and the majestic Ganga in an unforgettable panorama.In the 90s, Sunny Deol’s Ghatak showed the ghats and the city’s famous akhada wrestlers. Goldie Behl’s Bas Itna Sa Khwaab Haiwas also shot here, since the hero of the film, Abhishek Bachchan, was a Banarasi.
Bollywood’s fascination with the prostitution in Banaras is also evident from the many films that have depicted it. In Ram Teri Ganga Maili, Mandakini’s character was forced into flesh trade at a Banarasi brothel. Two decades later, Laaga Chunari Mein Daagtold the story of Badki (Rani Mukerji), a girl from Banaras, who is forced to make a living from prostitution.
The city’s history has also attracted many. The Aishwarya Rai-starrer, Chokher Bali, was shot at a fort in Banaras. Urmila Matondkar’s Banaras — A Mystic Love Story is a love story set in the city. Deepa Mehta’s Water, the story of widows in Banaras, was based here, even though she couldn’t shoot a single scene in the city. There’s also the upcoming film Mohalla Assi, where Sunny Deol plays a pandit from Banaras. Prateik’s upcoming film Issaqis also a love story set and shot in Banaras.
Though the list is not exhaustive, it’s evident how well-entrenched Bollywood’s fascination for the city is. Perhaps it wouldn’t be incorrect to say that no other city has held Bollywood’s fancy for as long and as strongly as Banaras.
Movies with Banaras
Aparajito, Banaras — A Mystic Love Story, Bas Itna Sa Khwaab Hai, Chokher Bali, Don, Ghatak, Issaq, Laaga Chunari Mein Daag, Mohalla Assi, Raanjhanaa, Ram Teri Ganga Maili, Water