sign in sign up
<<
Home , Gangs of Wasseypur, Lagaan, Lagaan (soundtrack), Masaan, Mother India, Paheli

LIST OF THE FILMS RELATED TO PANCHAYATS/ VILLAGES

1. Ramgarh-

To enjoy some calm rustic charm(completely devoid of dacoits, of course) one of the best places to head towards is Ramnagara. Situated in , the beautiful village lies just around 50 kms from the throbbing city of Bangalore. The village is a much- loved weekend destination for the inhabitants of ’s IT city. With unsullied vistas of natural beauty-imagine giant boulders rising up like mythical beings from the ground at the shadow of which graze sheep, the trees swaying in the gentle breeze and you begin to get an idea, this one’s for the soul as much as it’s for the eyes.

2. Charanpur-

In the movie, SRK is in search of his roots-coming from the US, and it is to a quintessential Indian village-complete with old fashioned gymkhana and villagers who could tell the time(and the nature of weather in the immediate future) just by looking at the sky. The real-world village in question falls enroute to Mahabaleshwar in . And with all the centuries old trees in the village that has its fair share of hills and old temples, it certainly looked like a place where one can dig out some roots.

3. Champaner-

For a film to be both critically acclaimed and loved by the masses is a feat in itself. And when the film revolves around the story about a few villagers in the trying to evict the foreigners from their hamlet with the aid of a cricket match, it becomes even more impressive. After all, the storyline isn’t your average hero-heroine-villain routine. But ‘Lagaan’ went on to become one of the proudest successes for . And the setting of the film-inspired by the Champaner village in Bihar, is the village of Kanura which lies just outside of Bhuj in . The entire settlement of the villagers in the movie was erected in the village, only to be razed down after the shoot was over. Maybe if they had left it standing, it would have been another worthy attraction to visit the village. Not that Kanuria needs any artificial attractions to make it beautiful- the decisively earthy village that lies in the valley of hillocks is like a slice from a time when things were slow and probably saner. Any city-dweller would do good to take a break at such destinations, or shall we say locations?

4. Sonbai’s village-

One of the best Indian movies with a social message, Ketan Mehta’s ‘Mirch Masala’ was about the struggles of Indian women trying to get on in the subcontinent during the 1940s. The backdrop of the movie was an arid land which gave the impression of being hostile to the women’s dreams of prosperity. However, the Kathiawar Peninsula where the film was shot is one of the best places to experience the beauty of village-life in India. Earthbound and having a simple charm all its own, it’s the kind of place where one can re-discover the much sought-after but elusive roots of life in the nation of a billion.

5. Kolipad- Iqbal

The district of Tenali in Andhra Pradesh is famous for its temples and attracts its fair share of tourists for that reason. Tenali was also the chosen location for the movie, ‘Iqbal’ in which played the role of a deaf and mute youngster whose dream it is to become a professional cricketer. A land where wide open farmlands meet a tranquil culture of spirituality, Tenali is the perfect example of an idyllic village to which we all yearn to escape at times.

6. Idhar village-

Though parts of the movie had its fictional setting in Gujarat, the chosen location was near Pollachi in Tamil Nadu. The fact that , who directed the movie is from Tamil Nadu might have had something to do with the decision. Not that we are complaining- along with Aishwarya Rai the village with amazing -bodies and tranquil hillocks as well as centuries-old temples was definitely something for the eyes.

7. Meera’s House- Dor

‘Dor’ is undoubtedly one of the best films made by . In the film, Ayesha Takia played the role of a widow subjugated by the purdah system. The setting was Rajastan and the film was shot in Umaidnagar Garh in Jodhpur. The palace is the perfect example of the architectural finesse of old India.

8. Sundarapandianpuram-

‘Roja’ wasn’t a Bollywood production. Nonetheless, the movie was loved by people across the nation. The South Indian village where the earlier parts of the movie take place is Corthallam which is not surprisingly, famous for its beautiful waterfalls. Since the movie came out, Courtallam or Kutralam, as it’s also known has been attracting tourists in ever-larger numbers.

9. Budbuda- Billu

Pollachi in Tamil Nadu is one village the stunning beauty of which has attracted the camera’s gaze for more decades that you may imagine. The village has been portrayed in many a South Indian movie but it was also the setting for the Bollywood film, ‘Billu.’ Located around 40 km from Coimbatore, this is as good a sampler as any for the unutterable beauty of the Tamil landscape.

10. Mahmudabad – Dedh Ishqiya

To get a glimpse of the style in which the rajas of the erstwhile Kingdom of Awadh lived, heading out to the Mamudabad palace in Barabanki, is called for. This edifice of great beauty is situated in a sprawling feudal estate- where a part of the movie, ‘Dedh Ishqiya’ was shot. With the bulk of the film-going crowd, if not regarding the number of audience then in terms of revenue, living in urban centres of the country perhaps it’s not so strange that many films has at least parts of them set in beautiful villages. Movies-especially Bollywood movies, are dream machines designed to transport the audience to other places for about two hours. Once you escape fromthe bustle and get within the comforts of a theatre, what better place to lift your mind to than a village the sights and sounds bloom dreams, or memories of tranquil moments in your mind.

Other Films:-

1. (2015) - Set in , India 2. Miss Tanakpur Haazir Ho (2015) - Set in Tanakpur, Uttarakhand, India 3. Qissa: The Tale of a Lonely Ghost (2013) - Set in Punjab, India 4. Manjhi: The Mountain Man (2015) - Set in Gehlaur near Gaya, Bihar, India 5. Lagaan 6. 7. 8. Mr. Natwarlal 9. Son of Sardar 10. 11. Ishquiya 12. Karan Arjun 13. Virasat 14. 15. Satyam Shivam Sundaram 16. Bulandi 17. Pyar Kiya to Darna Kya

These are some of the most amazing movies set in villages:-

1. Gori Tere Pyaar mein. (One of the worst movies 've ever seen.) 2. Swadesh 3. Lagaan 4. Omkara 5. Gangajal 6. Ramaiya Vastavaiya (Lame!) 7. se aaya mera dost. 8. Gangs of Wasseypur 1 and 2. 9. Piplee live (a pure and complete village themed best sarcasm movie) 10. Ram-leela (romance) 11. Rowdy Rathod (an entertainer) 12. Ishqiya (drama) 13. Paheli (I have not seen it) 14. Malamaal weekly (light comedy) 15. Pan Singh tomar (based on real story) 16. (romantic drama) 17. Gulaab gang (political drama) 18. Nadiya ke Par 19. Savan ko Ane do. 20. Saudagar () 21. Angrezi main kahete hein. 22. ,