From New York to Nainital

doweshowbellyad=0; Still from Laaga Chunari Mein Daag. (TOI Photo)More picsSeveral recent films have been exploring India and its interiors. BT finds out why
WHAT’S common between Laaga Chunari Mein Daag, Dhamaal, Bhool Bhulaiya and Om Shanti Om? They’re all Indian stories shot exclusively in India. Whether it’s Bollywood set in the ’70s, Goa, Varanasi, a palatial house in a typical Indian village, filmmakers these days seem to be sticking to Indian locales and are also making them an integral part of the story.Is this a conscious effort to showcase our country’s beauty?
“I don’t agree with setting a film in India and shooting a dream song in Switzerland,” says cinematographer Ratnavelu. “Audiences are bored of seeing the stars run among daffodils and then fly past the Statue of Liberty,” he says.
There are, however, directors who write stories that are set abroad like Ta Ra Rum Pum and Jhoom Barabar Jhoom. “A decade ago, we would shoot across the world because we thought people liked it. But the audience has evolved and is more interested in desi tales and trends,” says director Anurag Basu.
Writer and assistant director Shreyas Sudhindra says, “Choosing Indian locations not only ensures cost-effectiveness but also reflects a renaissance in the film industry. People want that touch of reality in films.”
And there are so many magnificent locales that are yet to be explored and picturised. “For the Kannada flick Galipata, we travelled all over Karnataka. It’s important the filmmaker knows the scent of his own soil. Recently, we were shooting for the Telugu film Jagadam. The director wanted to shoot a song abroad. But I knew of an equally picturesque place near Hyderabad, where the film was set. I took him there and he loved it,” says Ratnavelu.
At the same time, for another film starring Vijay, they flew the unit to Egypt to shoot amid the pyramids, because the script demanded it. Filmmaker Pradeep Sarkar, who directed Laaga Chunari Mein Daag, seconds this. “The locale of the film also has character. I wouldn’t shoot in a particular place if I don’t know the people, the gallis and the nukkads,” he says. “It’s important to extract the full flavour of the surroundings. There’s something called rasa swadam in Hindu mythology, which means only a person who drinks will enjoy the drink. When Rani Mukerji touches the water in Varanasi, in Laaga..., people familiar with Varanasi relate to the sentiment,” Pradeep adds. Then again, if the story is about two Indians romancing in London or Australia, you go there, he says.
“It’s no trend,” says entertainment professional Anjaan. “It’s a budget-based decision. Saawariya and OSO are the only really big-budget films this year. While Saawariya is set in a studio, OSO is a Bollywood story. It’s a coincidence that films shot in Indian locales have released one after the other,” he says. And as a member of the audience, it doesn’t matter to him where the film has been shot. “I want to be entertained. Besides, if Hollywood can shoot in India, why can’t we make use of their locales?” Anjaan asks.