New Delhi: TripAdvisor.in , part of the world’s largest travel site, today unveiled a list of exotic resorts and destinations uncovered by Bollywood biggies from some of this decade’s most visually inspiring movies.  From the corridors of Chail palace which witnessed  Kareena Kapoor’s eloping plan in ‘3 Idiots’ to the water drenched locales of Athirapally used as Abhishek Bacchan’s private haven in ‘Raavan’- all these places  offer a wonderful retreat for your next break.

Nikhil Ganju, Country Manager, TripAdvisor, said “Bollywood films are a special part of our culture, dear to Indians of all age groups. Through this endeavour, we intend to provide Indian travel enthusiasts an opportunity to discover places which have a unique connect with their favourite actors & directors. The list highlights some striking places in India which are a traveller’s paradise.”

Bollywood Hidden Gems

CHOMU PALACE: Anurag Kashyap’s power play, ‘Gulaal’ was shot extensively in the picturesque Chomu Palace along with Akshay Kumar’s ‘Bhool Bhulaiya’.  Located 40 kms from Jaipur city, the erstwhile fort now stands converted into   a heritage hotel and is a must stop on your itinerary while touring Rajasthan.

WOODVILLE PALACE HOTEL: Sanjay Leela Bansali’s iconic ‘Black’ was shot in the Woodville Palace Hotel in Shimla. It is a favourite amongst movie producers in Bollywood and a popular hotel for film shootings. As a TripAdvisor traveller summarises, “For a relaxed and well deserved break into the queen of the hills – this is a great place to go to.”

ORCHARD PALACE: What added immense aesthetic value to Sanjay Leela Bansali’s ‘Hum Dil Chuke Sanam’ was the Haveli near river Gondalia in Gujarat called Orchard Palace, where the movie has largely been shot. The Palace continues to be one of the most widely visited tourist destination and is considered to be a foodie’s paradise.

NAGGAR CASTLE: Situated on the left bank of river Beas at an altitude of 1851m, Naggar castle provided a perfect setting to shoot parts of Jab We Met.  The place looks over the Kullu Valley and apart from the spectacular view and superb locale gives you a flavour of authentic western Himalayan architecture. The valley is the nucleus of several trek routes. As a TripAdvisor traveller puts it “Naggar Castle is an excellent location that offers a beautiful view of the snow capped mountains”.

BEKAL FORT: The next time you plan a vacation to Kerela take a trip up north to Kasaragod, the land of gods, rivers, hills and beautiful beaches. This 400 year old fort bordered by a splendid beach shot to fame after Mani Ratnam’s Bombay was shot here. While sculptures, murals and a rock garden adorn the fort but the breathtaking view of the Arabian sea should be enough to delight you.

POLLACHI: Shahrukh Khan starrer ‘Billu’ was shot in a village called Pollachi near Tamil Nadu. Located at the foothills of the Anamalai ranges, Pollachi is also a hot favourite locale with Tollywood. Apart from its scenic beauty and surrounding hamlets – national parks, wildlife sanctuaries and beautiful temple sites nearby offer a range of sightseeing and other activities around Pollachi.  Above all, the place is easily accessible from Coimbatore, which is just a 90 minute drive.

ATHIRAPALLY RAINFOREST RESORT: Rainforest resort is situated deep in the lush green rainforest at the foot of the Athirapally waterfalls. Mani Ratnam chose this location for shooting parts of Raavan starring Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai for its natural beauty set in about 7 acres of the Sholayar range of virgin rainforest. The place offers a fabulous view of the waterfall from every room and is an ideal location for a quiet holiday.

BHEDAGHAT: From Raj Kapoor’s ‘Jis Desh Main Ganga Behti Hain’ to Kareena Kapoor’s ‘Asoka’, the scenic marble rocks at Bhedaghat  has been the backdrop for their popular songs.   A small town  in Jabalpur district in Madhya Pradesh It is situated by the side of river Narmada  with famous sights such as  the Duandhar Falls, Marble Rocks, and the Chausath Yogini temple.

CHAIL PALACE: popularly known as Ranchoddas Chanchad’s regal house after the movie ‘3 Idiots’ was shot here. Chail palace is a Himachal Tourism heritage hotel settled in the dense Deodhar forests. Though the hotel has most modern facilities, however what keeps a tourist hooked to the place is the spectacular view it offers, an option worth considering while planning your trip to Shimla as well.  Don’t forget to take the toy train on your way there to enjoy the gorgeous valley forest beauty.