Movies that will give you a travel experience at home

Flights have been grounded; hotels and resorts have closed down, and travel plans cancelled indefinitely. The lockdown, due to coronavirus, has played the perfect spoilsport for every traveller. However, that does not mean that you have to put a full stop to your exploring! You can still visit your dream destinations, albeit virtually.

Here’s a list of movies that can give you a travel experience right from your homes:

Dil Chahta hai

This is one of the best movies that has been filmed across Goa. Though each of us has a different reason for remembering the movie, the backdrop of beaches and the greenery makes the movie all the more appealing. The idea of chilling on the beach with friends gives us major vacation goals. It probably kicked off the trend of a mandatory road trip to Goa with friends. So if you are missing the sea, the beaches and the waves you know what movie to watch!

Jab We Met

This is the quintessential travel movie. The rom-com starring Shahid and Kareena starts with a train journey from Mumbai. The train journey follows the strangers through Ratlam, Kota in Rajasthan to Simla and Manali in Himachal Pradesh as they get to know each other. The movie also features some of the best views of the mesmerizing Rohtang pass! The film will definitely want you to take a train journey soon as the lockdown ends!

3 Idiots

This movie starring Aamir, Madhavan, and Sharman Joshi in lead roles is loosely based on Chetan Bhagat’s bestseller ‘Five Point Someone’ takes you across locales in northern India. The journey takes us across Delhi, to Chail, Simla and finally Ladakh. The star attraction of the movie is the climax that was shot at the Pangong lake in Ladakh. The panned shots and panoramas of the awe-inspiring landscapes incite a wanderlust that you would have never felt before!

Eat Pray Love

Based on a novel, this Julia Roberts film is all about self-discovery. The country is shown through the eyes of a divorced lady who travels through India in search of peace and spirituality. It takes you from the modern setting of Delhi to the rural atmosphere of Pataudi. The movie manages to expertly capture the sights and sound and the stark differences between the urban and rural landscapes.

Highway

Not your quintessential travel movie, this is a journey of two individuals from extreme ends of the society that share an unexpected journey and end up discovering an unlikely bond. The film takes you through the salt plains of Gujarat to the Sangla valley in Himachal to the Aru valley. It explores Kashmir and Pahalgam like never before. The picturesque backdrop adds to the charisma of the movie and will leave you yearning for more!

Chennai Express

The masala flick starring SRK opposite Deepika Padukone is a 140-minute advertisement for destinations down south. Chennai Express takes you on an unforgettable journey from the picturesque Dudhsagar falls in Goa to the green hills of Munnar. Some of the other star attractions featured in the movie include Devikulam lake and Kannimala. Though the chemistry between the lead pair makes it exciting, the scenic backdrop of Kerala is bound to be imprinted in your memory forever!

Finding Fanny

NO! Goa is NOT all about partying and drinking, and Finding Fanny depicted it perfectly. The movie ventures beyond the ‘known’ Goa and into the outskirts. It goes through unexplored roads, hills, cliffs and rivers. It is credited with making with putting these virgin locations on the tourist map.

Kahaani

A mystery thriller starring the versatile Vidya Balan, this film is set in the city of Joy in the days leading up to the major festival of ‘Durga Puja’. The film follows the protagonist as she tries to find her husband through the by lanes of Kolkata. There is a certain charm in all the cacophony and chaos depicted in the movie. It shows you a never before seen side of this city. The impressive visuals and videography is sure to leave you yearning for more!

What are you waiting for? Go grab some popcorn, settle in your couch and take a virtual vacation right from your couch!