10 films that had larger-than-life sets

We love Bollywood films not only because of their larger-than-life characters but also their grand life-size sets. Crores of rupees are spent on lavish sets in order to give the audience an illusion of a certain place or environment. In the wake of the reports that stated that the makers of Sushant Singh Rajput and Sara Ali Khan starrer ‘Kedarnath’ is spending a whopping of Rs 7 crore to build a set of Mumbai replicating Uttarakhand floods with the backdrop of the holy city, we take a look at 10 films that created magnificent sets in Bollywood.

Everything about ‘Baahubali: The Beginning’ and ‘Baahubali: The Conclusion’ was grand and the sets of the films were no exception. One of the most expensive films ever made in India, the ‘Baahubali’ franchise spent a whopping amount of money in building the sets of the film.
Although visual effects did most of its job, no stone was left unturned in building the kingdom of Mahishmati for the film in a studio in Hyderabad. Right from the scenic settings to mountains to the intricate sculptures and designs, the work that went into creating that magnum opus remains commendable.

According to a report, a 125-foot-tall statue of Bhallaldeva was made by 200 sculptors which weighed over 8,000 kgs and needed four cranes to erect it. The crew also reportedly took an active part in raising Jowar crops in 20 acres of the film city for the film.

Sanjay Leela Bhansali is known to create beautiful larger-than-life sets for his films. And his Ranveer Singh-Deepika Padukone starrer was no exception. Right from its high octane war scenes at the battleground to the ultra-realistic depiction of the sceneries throughout to its magnificent palace back-drop, it was undoubtedly a visual delight.

While a lot of outdoor shoots happened in old forts around Maharashtra, a lot of the indoor scenes, including the famous mirror palace in the ‘Deewani Mastani’ song was constructed in the film city. It was so beautiful and well built that it left the audience in awe.

Although the film ‘Bombay Velvet’ tanked badly at the box-office, what was appreciated was his effort in creating the magnificent sets of the film. According to reports, Anurag Kashyap built the entire city if old Bombay on 9.5 acres of land in Colombo. The set, which reportedly took 11 months to be created, was one of the most expensive outings of Anurag Kashyap.

Intrinsically designed to give it a vintage look, the sets of ‘Bombay Velvet’ are still reportedly used as a tourist attraction in Sri Lanka.

When a film is periodic in nature or based at a different era, it becomes very necessary for the makers of the film to give the audience a feel of that period as a lot gets changed over time and it becomes difficult to use the locales, technology and architecture of the present times. In that case, an artificial set comes in to picture.

Sushant Singh starrer ‘Detective Byomkesh Bakshy!’ was truly an ode to Kolkata. The Trams, rickshaws and vintage cars depicted in the film, all belonged to a different era. To make a set look like the period before Independence should sure have been a task for the makers. Trams, rickshaws and vintage cars played a good part.

Yet another Sanjay Leela Bhansali masterpiece, ‘Devdas’ was one of the most expensive and grand films of that time. Care was taken to not only replicate the aura of the period but also the use of colours was done in such a way that it depicted the passion and tragedy that runs through the movie.

According to reports, about 12,20,00,008 pieces of stained glasses were used to decorate Paro’s room in the movie and that apparently took the makers about seven months to complete it. Also, the kotha or the place where Chandramukhi (Madhuri Dixit) stayed was reportedly made around a lake in a Mumbai’s studio. It was made to replicate the ghats of Benaras.

Ashutosh Gowariker’s ‘Jodha Akbar’ reminded many of the classic film ‘Mughal-E-Azam’. With opulent palaces, huge battlefields and grandeur in every frame, the film was without a doubt a visual treat.

For the film, palaces and forts were reportedly replicated in Mumbai to give the film the sense of the place and period. Also, according to reports, cottages were constructed for the lead stars Hrithik Roshan and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan so that they don't waste time commuting daily.
The film which reportedly cost $10 million, is arguably one of the most spectacular films India has made.

Karan Johar’s ‘Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham...’ had two storylines running parallel; one shot inside the huge Raichand mansion and the other in Delhi’s iconic Chandni Chowk.

According to reports, the makers of the film recreated Delhi’s Chandni Chowk in a studio in Mumbai. For the Raichand mansion, the inside of a palatial bungalow was built with several expensive paintings being hung on the walls to give it an authentic 'old money' look.

Designer Sharmishtha Roy, who reportedly designed about 18 to 19 sets for the film, also bagged Filmfare Award for Best Art Direction.

Big joint families, lavish houses and larger than life sets, these are some of the trademarks of a Sooraj Barjatya film. And with ‘Prem Ratan Dhan Payo’, the director has set an altogether different benchmark.

The film shows some iconic forts and palaces of Rajasthan. Apart from that, the director also reportedly recreated the iconic Sheesh Mahal as a homage to ‘Mughal-E-Azam’ for an important scene in the film.

The royal palace was reportedly the biggest set, spread over 100,000 square feet.

Ranveer Singh and Deepika Padukone starrer ‘Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-Leela’ is one of the most-loved Hindi films that we have seen in the last decade. The romantic crime drama, directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali, was an adaptation of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet that won hearts all over.

For the song ‘Nagaada’ an expensive set was reportedly created in the studios of Mumbai. It was not only very expensive but also looked stunning and every bit real.

Sanjay Leela Bhansali is known for his grand and lavish sets; right from ‘Devdas’ to ‘Bajirao Mastani’. His ‘Saawariya’ that introduced Sonam Kapoor and Ranbir Kapoor to Bollywood was no exception.

The story of the film is set in an imaginary town with lakes, streets, clock tower, etc. The blue tone of the entire film and the beautiful sets designed by the then productional designer Omung Kumar was successfully able to set the film apart from others.