There are many things, sometimes things that were greatly questionable, that Bollywood made cool. Like sweaters. Okay, so maybe that was only Rishi Kapoor. But remember when all of us were so taken with Aamir’s look from Dil Chahta Hai that everyone with even scarce facial fuzz was flaunting a goatee? Or when we all willingly suspended any sense of fashion to flaunt a ‘Cool’ chain around our neck?
Yes, Bollywood can make a lot of things seem fashionable.
And it’s not only clothes or accessories, it can make entire places fashionable. We take a tour of the 5 places that have given Bollywood gorgeous backdrops with sufficient trees to dance around.
Switzerland
There was a time in Bollywood when an actress knew she had arrived if she was handed a chiffon saree and a ticket to the gorgeous country of Switzerland. Script, role et all be damned because you were going to be a Yash Raj heroine and that was all that mattered. To say Yash Chopra liked this country would be greatly understating it. In fact, the country showed this veteran film-maker some love as well. A particular lake was featured in so many of his movies it got the nickname Chopra Lake.
Dubai
While Bollywood does have all the glamour and glitz, it is no match for the sheikhs who have tigers for pets (if the internet is to be believed). However, the city with its shiny glass buildings and golden dunes has been a Bollywood favourite for quite a while now. So much so, that entire movies have been shot there – Happy New Year and Welcome Back come to mind.
Greece
Greece boasts of a lot of white and blue buildings and cerulean waters and that’s hard to beat. Their locales look untouched, by the locals of course, because Bollywood is all over them. Threatened by their bronzed bodies, we took our desi Greek God – Hrithik Roshan – there and a song with Katrina from the movie Bang Bang was shot here. Chalte Chalte, Wanted and other movies also explored this gorgeous country.
Spain
In 2011, a bunch of actors and Spain starred in a movie called Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara. The movie shot across various locations in the country proved to be a hit and according to a report the number of Indian tourists to Spain jumped by 65%. According to sources that may be completely unreliable, a few bulls from Spain have already auditioned for meaty roles in several Bollywood movies. Only a few may get to step up to the plate.
Bulgaria
Oh, you don’t think it’s popular yet? Just you wait. An upcoming movie starring Shahrukh Khan and Kajol has been shot in Bulgaria and if we know anything it is that anything that these two touch, turns to gold. This information will make you want to Google the country so I will save you time. Bulgaria is a part of the European Union, is in South East Europe and its capital is Sofia. Thank me later.
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