India as seen through the eyes of filmmakers who have presented beautiful locations to the viewers through their craft.
Be it the beautiful Ladakh in “3 Idiots” or the serene Kasauli in “Krrish”, “Filmi Escapes – Travel With The Movies” will show India as seen through the eyes of filmmakers who have presented beautiful locations to the viewers through their craft.
Travel expert Lonely Planet’s new travel guide revisits these cities, towns, hills, beaches, lakes, waterfalls, historic forts, palaces, temples and more, made memorable via cinematic moments over the years.
Specialised information on hotels, transport, food and sightseeing accompanied by interesting trivia, anecdotes and images have also been incorporated in it.
“Over the years, travellers in India have evolved seeking more informed and fascinating travel experiences. With this launch, we are hoping to tap into the most talked about and cherished topic in the country – Indian cinema,” Daniel Houghton, chief operating officer, Lonely Planet, said in a statement.
“The reach of Indian cinema is phenomenal, with a great influence over many international travellers as well. With this launch and many other interesting launches in the pipeline, we hope to reach out to Indian travellers across demographics and geographies,” Houghton added.
“Filmi Escapes” lists the must-see sights and experiences of over 20 domestic destinations like Delhi, Agra, Lucknow, Varanasi, Shimla, Kasauli, Nainital, Amritsar, Kashmir, Ladakh, Udaipur, Jaisalmer, Mumbai, the Western Ghats, Goa, Gujarat, Kolkata, Darjeeling and Ooty.
It also includes interviews of well known film personalities such as Karan Johar, Mahesh Bhatt, Dibakar Banerjee, Nargis Fakhri, Muzaffar Ali, Raima Sen and more, sharing their favourite destinations and films.
Talking about the influence of Indian cinema on travel, Sesh Seshadri, director, Lonely Planet India, said: “Cinema has always proved to be a great influence on the Indian society in every manner. Movies have familiarized us with our own country, often inspiring us to travel to locations where they have been shot.”
According to Seshadri, research indicates that over 60 percent of Indian travellers are influenced by Indian cinema, aspiring to travel to specific locations shown in the movies.
“With us celebrating the 100 years of Indian cinema, it’s the ideal time to present to India the first ever travel guide on their favourite film locations,” he added.
Filmmaker Imtiaz Ali, who has explored different locales through his movies, launched the guide in Mumbai.
“I have always loved to travel – both in personal time and in movies. I love exploring different locales and cultures. Be it Goa in ‘Socha Na Tha’, Shimla and Manali in ‘Jab We Met’, London and San Francisco in ‘Love Aaj Kal’ or Delhi, Prague and Verona in ‘Rockstar’, I have always tried to bring beautiful locales, colourful cities and unique cultures to my films,” he said.
The 344-page guide is priced at Rs.595.
IANS
