Top Film shooting locations Uttarakhand Guide - Tours

Top Film shooting locations Uttarakhand : Overview

The Bollywood movies not just depend on a good script, acting and direction but the locations are also an effective and big thing for going to be part of the block buster which matters a lot.

Today Indian directors of Bollywood often choose for stunning outdoor locations in Uttrakhand India for their movie that will giving a realistic touch to be super hit which would be liked and appreciated by the audience. Because the shooting teams need more facilities like good roads, quality accommodation, food, well equipment, picturesque surroundings, pleasant weather, favorable climate and so many things that required for film’s best shot. Indian directors of Bollywood often choose to Uttrakhand’s famous locations for their movies. There are a lot of films and television projects have been shot in iconic locations of Uttarakhand mostly in the beautiful Mussoorie , Dehradun, Rishikesh and Nainital.

Why Uttarakhand is a Top Film shooting location ?

Uttarakhand is often referred as the ‘Dev Bhoomi’ and a land of various ancient shrines and other holy destinations. Besides providing pilgrimage opportunities through Chardham circuit, Haridwar and Rishikesh, this North Indian State greets the travelers with various splendid hill stations like Dehradun Ranikhet, Almora, Nainital, Kausani, Mukteshwar, Binsar Mussoorie and Auli. Be it the lofty mountains cuddled in snow, terrain embellished with green and snowy carpets or rivers embracing crystal clear waters, these destinations are bestowed with every natural marvel; thus, providing a best shooting sight to the blockbuster movies.

What is a unique in “Film shooting location of Uttarakhand?

Uttarakhand boasts of the snow capped mountains, rolling meadows, high altitude lakes, dense forests and wetland habitat support a divers and exotic wildlife, birds and plants species in Garhwal and Kumaon the two regions of Uttarakhand. Even though Uttarakhand is a place that is generally visited throughout the year.

 On the other hand the area of Uttarakhand under a rugged and mountainous topography, the place is ideal for adventure sports. Uttarakhand also offers its tourists a rich blend of undulated terrains, rocky cliffs and densely forested regions. These spots in Uttarakhand are very well suited for trekking, rock climbing, mountaineering and skiing, the place is ideal for other popular adventure sports in Uttarakhand include paragliding, camping and jeep safari that is good enough locations for film shootings ever.

Latest Bollywood movie shooted in uttrakhand 

Ajay Devgan’s movie ‘Shivaay’ have been shoted in Mussoorie

This bollywood movie was made in the year of 2016 directed by Ajay Devgan. It was an action -drama film and Ajay Devgan and new acress sigal was in lead roale.

Shivaay had been filmed extensively in the Landour Cantonment and in the locations of Sisters Bazaar, Kellogg's Memorial Church, Char Dukan and Lal Tibba.

Uttrakhand is one of the most beautiful place in India also happens to be one of the favorite shooting locations for the filmmakers although numerous Bollywood films have been shoted here.

Movie name: Student of the Year

Directed by: Karan Johar

Location: Dehradun city, Uttrakhand

About movie: The major portion of the movie is shot in FRI Campus, Casiga School and Welhums Boys' School, Dehradun. A group of young actors, Siddharth Malhotra, Varun Dhawan and Alia Bhatt, debut in this movie. The famous actors like Boman Irani, Kajol, Farah Khan and Vaibhavi Merchant have added to the magnificence of the film as guest actors.

Movie name: Lakshya

Directed by: Farhan Akhtar

Location: Dehradun city, Uttrakhand

About movie: This film Lakshya was shot in Indian Military Academy, Dehradun. This is a beautiful story of the development of a young man from an aimless young man into an army officer by lead role of Hrithik Roshan, Preity Zinta and Sharad Kapoor are usually termed as a war drama. Hrithik Roshan plays the role of the lieutenant, Karan Shergill who later becomes an acting captain later in the film.

 Movie name: Rahna Hai Tere Dil Me

Directed by: Gautam Menon

Location: Dehradun city, Uttrakhand

About movie: FRI Campus has been the setting of the beginning scenes of the film. The college campus has been projected as an Engineering College where both the male protagonists study. The film starring by Madhavan, Diya Mirza and Saif Ali khan, was also shot in Dehradun.

Movie name: Krishna Cottage

Directed by: Santram Verma

Location: Dehradun city, Uttrakhand

About movie:  This Bollywood horror movie which features Sohail Khan, Ishaa Koppikar and Anita Hassanandini, as the leading actors, has mainly been shot in the Forest Research Institute, Dehradun. Rati Agnihotri, Vrajesh Hirjee, Divya Palat, Hiten Tejwani, Ali Hassan, Rajendranath Zutshi have also played parts of considerable importance in the movie.

Movie name: Pan Singh Tomar

Directed by: Digmanshu Dhulia

Location: Dehradun city and and Roorkee

About movie:  The National Award winning movie, Pan Singh Tomar, was also shot in Dehradun and Roorkee. The movie featured the star actors like Irrfan, Mahi Gill, Vipin Sharma, Nawazuddin Siddiqui. The movie has earned much applause and critical acclaim by the Indian critics.

Movie name: Armaan

Directed by: Digmanshu Dhulia

Location: Mussoorie

About movie:  This is one of the chart-topping Bollywood movies shoted in Mussoorie and its majestic surroundings for the hospital scenes. This film was also screened at Cannes Film Festival. This film features the A group actors like Amitabh Bachchan, Anil Kapoor, Preity Zinta, Gracy Singh and Randhir Kapoor. This is the first film where Preity Zinta plays a negative role.

Movie name: Bunty Aur Bubbli

 Directed by: Shaad Ali

Location: Mussoorie and Rishikesh

About movie:  Bunty Aur Bubbly, released in 2005 cast Rani Mukherjee, Amitabh Bachchan and Abhishek Bachchan in the lead roles. A few scenes of the movie were shot in Mussoorie and Rishikesh

Movie name: Koi Mil Gaya

Directed by: Rakesh Roshan

Location: Nainital, Bhimtaal and Kausani

About movie: Hrithik Roshan, Rekha and Preity Zinta played the lead role in this movie. This Sci-Fi movie was released in the year 2003 which was mostly shot in Nainital, Bhimtaal and Kausani. According to the film, Hrithik Roshan’s mother raised him in Kasauli, which is in Himachal Pradesh but the shootings were done in Nainital.

Movie name: Vivah

Directed by: Rakesh Roshan

Location: Nainital, Jageshwar Mandir and Almora

About movie: Major portions of the movie were shot in Nainital and there are many songs in this movie have been shot in places like Jageshwar Mandir, Almora, etc. This movie was released in 2003. Prema Jagati School of Nainital was shown as the paternal house of Amrita Rao.

Schools of Doon valley, Mussoorie and Nainital have featured in many other Hindi films as they are in scenic locales and have beautiful buildings and infrastructure.

Rajesh Khanna’s film Kati Patang shows us Nainital in all its glory and at length. And for once, Nainital has been called Nainital and not by some other name! The song Jis Gali Mein Tera Ghar na ho Baalma has Rajesh Khanna and Asha Parekh boating on the Nainital lake which looks absolutely heavenly in the film.

The great actor’s interaction with students and staff of two of Mussoorie’s well-known schools namely Hampton Court and Wynberg Allen during the making of Karm in the seventies and Ghar ka Chirag in the eighties respectively endeared him to them.

There are a number of scenes in Karm which show us the lovely campus of Hampton Court School (CJM). The Mohkampur area of the Doon valley (The railway crossing) is also quite recognizable. A considerable part of the film has been shot in Rishikesh which appears pristine and serene in the film — as it must have been in the seventies.

Wynberg Allen School, one of the oldest institutions in the region, appeared in Rajesh Khanna’s 1989 film Ghar Ka Chiraag which was based on the older film Ek Phool, Do Maali where Balraj Sahni plays the role which Khanna plays in Ghar Ka Chiraag.

The Nainital Boat Club is another favorite location with film makers. There are many other movies which have a song or two at the Club or the lake. One was the 1060s classic Waqt which shows Shashi Kapoor, Sharmila Tagore and their group of college friends on a college trip to Nainital. 

Best time for Film Shooting in Uttrakhand

The best time to visit Uttarakhand is during the Summers (April to June) while some places are better off during the winter season. The summers in Uttarakhand, at certain places, can get pretty hot. However, the day might be hot but the nights are cool. Hence, it is advisable for the tourists visiting in summers to wear loose cotton clothes. The winters in Uttarakhand can be quite chilly and snowfall is a regular phenomenon in many of the upper areas of the place. The days are very pleasant with the nights very cold. It is advisable to take heavy woolen clothes if you are visiting Uttarakhand during the winters.

Iconic Fim Spots of Uttrakhand 

Schools of Doon valley, Mussoorie and Nainital have featured in many other Hindi films as they are in scenic locales and have beautiful buildings and infrastructure.

Rajesh Khanna’s film Kati Patang shows us Nainital in all its glory and at length. And for once, Nainital has been called Nainital and not by some other name! The song Jis Gali Mein Tera Ghar na ho Baalma has Rajesh Khanna and Asha Parekh boating on the Nainital lake which looks absolutely heavenly in the film.

The great actor’s interaction with students and staff of two of Mussoorie’s well-known schools namely Hampton Court and Wynberg Allen during the making of Karm in the seventies and Ghar ka Chirag in the eighties respectively endeared him to them.

There are a number of scenes in Karm which show us the lovely campus of Hampton Court School (CJM). The Mohkampur area of the Doon valley (The railway crossing) is also quite recognizable. A considerable part of the film has been shot in Rishikesh which appears pristine and serene in the film — as it must have been in the seventies.

Wynberg Allen School, one of the oldest institutions in the region, appeared in Rajesh Khanna’s 1989 film Ghar Ka Chiraag which was based on the older film Ek Phool, Do Maali where Balraj Sahni plays the role which Khanna plays in Ghar Ka Chiraag.

The Nainital Boat Club is another favorite location with film makers. There are many other movies which have a song or two at the Club or the lake. One was the 1060s classic Waqt which shows Shashi Kapoor, Sharmila Tagore and their group of college friends on a college trip to Nainital.