From historic seaside ramparts and high-altitude saltwater lakes to cascading forest waterfalls and mountain railways, these physical landmarks are op…
1/10Chapora Fort, Goa | Rising over the red cliffs above Vagator Beach, this historic Portuguese laterite fort entered pop-culture history when director Farhan Akhtar framed three friends sitting along its ramparts in his 2001 cult classic Dil Chahta Hai. The open stone battlements remain free to explore, offering one of North Goa’s finest sunset vantage points over the Arabian Sea. (Image source: Wikimedia Commons)
2/10Pangong Tso, Ladakh | Sitting at an altitude of over 4,200 metres in the Himalayas, this vast endorheic lake is famous for its saline waters shifting through shades of blue, turquoise, and emerald against barren peaks. Its shoreline hosted the finale of Rajkumar Hirani’s 2009 directorial 3 Idiots, as well as key scenes in Yash Chopra’s 2012 film Jab Tak Hai Jaan, making a day trip to its edge a high-altitude highlight. (Image source: Wikimedia Commons)
3/10Betaab Valley, Pahalgam, Jammu & Kashmir | Originally known as Hajan Valley, this sub-alpine basin along the Lidder River was officially rechristened Betaab Valley after Sunny Deol and Amrita Singh’s 1983 debut blockbuster was filmed here. The scenic pine glades and wooden footbridges later became a backdrop for Jordan and Heer’s story in Imtiaz Ali’s Rockstar (2011), provided the mountain refuge for Alia Bhatt and Randeep Hooda in Highway (2014), and served as the scenic Pahalgam backdrop for Meghna Gulzar’s espionage thriller Raazi (2018). (Image source: Wikimedia Commons)
4/10Nahargarh Fort Baori, Jaipur | Perched on the rugged ridge of the Aravalli hills, Nahargarh Fort’s dramatic, asymmetrical geometric stepwell formed the backdrop for Masti Ki Paathshaala in Rang De Basanti (2006), where Aamir Khan, Siddharth, and Sharman Joshi took a backwards dive into the reservoir. Maneesh Sharma returned to the fort’s sweeping ramparts and stone architecture for Shuddh Desi Romance (2013). (Image source: Wikimedia Commons)
5/10Hadimba Temple, Manali | Built in 1553 inside the dense sanctuary of the Dhungri cedar forest, this four-tiered pagoda-style wooden shrine dedicated to Hidimbi Devi is one of the Kullu Valley’s architectural treasures. Mani Ratnam famously framed the snow-covered temple grounds in his 1992 classic Roja (standing in for Kashmir), while Ayan Mukerji used the very same stone courtyard in Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani (2013). (Image source: Wikimedia Commons)
6/10Rohtang Pass, Himachal Pradesh | Sitting at 3,978 metres on the Pir Panjal range between Kullu and the Lahaul Valley, Rohtang Pass is celebrated for its windswept Himalayan landscapes and towering seasonal snow walls. The open mountain pass became a modern travel icon when Kareena Kapoor and Shahid Kapoor drove through its snow-cleared corridors in an open-top red jeep for Yeh Ishq Haaye in Jab We Met (2007), with Anurag Kashyap capturing its bleak, rocky mountain stretches in Dev.D (2009). (Image source: Wikimedia Commons)
7/10City Palace & Lake Pichola, Udaipur | Sprawled along the eastern banks of Lake Pichola, the 16th-century City Palace complex and its surrounding marble ghats represent Hindi cinema’s ultimate royal canvas. While Dev Anand and Waheeda Rehman immortalised its regal courtyards in Vijay Anand’s classic Guide (1965), modern filmmakers have consistently returned to its waterfront: Sanjay Leela Bhansali staged the festive backdrops here in Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-Leela (2013), Ayan Mukerji captured the city in all its glory in Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani (2013), and the sunlit stone steps framed the romance in Dhadak (2018). (Image source: Canva)
8/10The Ghats of Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh | The stone steps lining the bank of the Ganges offer an open-air stage of ritual, heritage, and daily life. While Pradeep Sarkar captured the spiritual bustle of the riverside in Laaga Chunari Mein Daag (2007) and Aanand L. Rai framed the kinetic energy of Dashashwamedh and Assi Ghats in Raanjhanaa (2013), Neeraj Ghaywan turned the quiet, smoky dawn mist of Harishchandra Ghat into a character in Masaan (2015). (Image source: Canva)
9/10Athirappilly Waterfalls, Kerala | Plunging 80 feet through dense rainforest along the Chalakudy River in Thrissur district, Athirappilly is Kerala’s largest waterfall. Mani Ratnam turned its thundering amphitheatre of mist into a personal visual signature: Shah Rukh Khan and Preity Zinta danced in its spray for Jiya Jale in Dil Se.. (1998), Aishwarya Rai danced to Barso Re along its river rocks in Guru (2007), and it became the backdrop for the rain-soaked forest chases of Raavan (2010). (Image source: Wikimedia Commons)
10/10Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, West Bengal | Inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage site and operating since 1881, the historic 2-foot narrow-gauge “toy train” has carried Hindi cinema’s romantic imagination for generations. Rajesh Khanna serenaded Sharmila Tagore alongside its steam locomotive in Mere Sapno Ki Rani (Aradhana, 1969), Saif Ali Khan rode through the misty hills listening to Kasto Mazza in Parineeta (2005), and Anurag Basu used the tracks and Ghum station as the visual heartbeat of Barfi! (2012). (Image source: Canva)
