Khandala - Bollywood's favourite getaway

Everyone who's someone in filmdom is buying a home in the wind-swept seclusion of Khandala away from the bustle of Mumbai. "It's a great getaway spot," said Sanjay Gupta who bought himself a place in the Maharashtra hill station seven years ago.

"Now, of course, there are so many film folks out there, it feels like a paradise - like extension of Bollywood. Tanuja has a place there for years, and spends a lot of time there. Her daughter Kajol and Ajay Devgan have also bought a place there. Dharamji, of course, lives permanently in Khandala. So Sunny and Bobby keep dropping in."

According to Gupta, Suniel Shetty has the best home in Khandala and he and his friend Sanjay Dutt love spending time there.

"It's like entering the Sultan of Brunei's palace. Suniel's place is incredibly grand. He has an eternity pool and a lawn at the edge of the mountain. It's amazing. We love to chill out in his place."

"Sanju doesn't have a place yet in Khandala. But he's house hunting. But he spends all his weekends at Khandala in my place, which is as good as his place. My place in Khandala is named after our film company White Feather."

So what do the pals do when they get together?

"Time ceases to exist. Lots of coffee instead of alcohol flows out there. Khandala is very cleansing."

Indo-Asian News Service