Surrounded by large water bodies, snow-capped mountains and valleys, world-class airports, highways, and hotels, India is a highly diverse film shooting destination. It has Hollywood-esque farmhouses, dense forests, modern architecture, bazaars, scenic locations, and more.
Why is India popular?
Put it on the low cost of film and documentary permissionsand logistics support in India, it is not rocket science why India is favourable. In particular, places in south India, known for their unique and picturesque landscapes, are becoming a popular location for filming in India.
Here are some of the popular locations in south India for filming:
-
Puducherry
Located on the southern part of India in the state of Tamil Nadu, Puducherry’s history is as far back as the second century AD. In The Periplus of the Erthraean Sea, the marketplace of Poduke finds mention, which will later become the French colony Pondicherry in 1674.
The Union Territory has maintained its French lifestyle to this day; the French part of the town is linedwith colonial-style townhouses and architecture such as the Travaux Publics building, large markets, eateries, and bungalows. The seaside town is also an important destination for national and international tourists. The experimental city of Auroville is a few kilometres away.
The French Quarter of Puducherry finds itself in Life of Pi, Ang Lee’s film adaptation that was released in November 2012. The film won four awards in the 85th Academy Awards.
-
Goa
Remember Paul Greengrass’ The Bourne Supremacy, the second of the action-thriller with Matt Damon playing the lead as Jason Bourne? The Bourne Supremacy released in 2004 shows Bourne experiencing flashbacks of his former CIA assassin life on the pristine beaches of Goa. The resort shown in the film is located on Palolem, a beach known for its palm-fringed sand, bamboo huts, and safe swimming spots. The beach finds foreigners kayaking, paddle-boarding, and hiking throughout the year.
If your production house is looking for a fixer in India,who could help find a location as Goa with its vibrant culture, architecture that reminds one of the Ottoman and Portuguese styles, forests and beaches, you have come to the right place.
-
Karnataka
Every nook and corner in Karnataka’s Hampiis reminiscent of the ruins of Athens of Rome. The ancient stone structures in this UNESCO World Heritage Site bring to mind the riches and grandiosity of this place. As a location for filming in India, Hampi is no stranger; for in this very location, the martial arts master, Jackie Chan shot a cameo in the 2005 film The Myth.
Just 400 kilometres from Hampi is Mysuru with its heritage structures, festivities, paintings, and more. Like Hampi, the city is visited by tourists throughout the year. Mysuru’s royal palace was put on the world map during the shooting of the British TV drama The Jewel in the Crown which showed the legendary Geraldine James and India’s iconic ZohraSehgal sharing screen time together.
-
Munnar
Munnar, located in ‘God’s own country’ Kerala, is a scenic hill station in the Western Ghats. Sometimes called the ‘Kashmir of South India’, Munnar is a beautiful location for film and documentary shooting.
The testimony to this is the Hollywood film, Before the Rains that won the Kodak Crystal Vision Award for Best Cinematography and the Best Film Award at the Houston Film Festival that was shot completely in Munnar. Its tea estates have retained their authenticity for the last 75 years and the times of transition particularly of the season give Munnar a beauty that is timeless.
For filming documentary, feature film, TVCM, Music Video or anytype of project, you may get in touch with us on info@filmingindo.com