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As
Bollywood's love affair with London continues with films being shot at
various locations here, British film authorities have now unveiled a
new map that lists venues where recent blockbusters were shot.
So
the next time tourists from India come visiting, they can visit
locations where popular films such as "Kabhi Khushie Kabhi
Gham"(Osterley Park) or "Mujhse Dosti Karoge" (Starford Station) were
shot.
The new movie map is eighth in a series of maps designed
to encourage tourists and cinema-lovers alike to discover the capital
through films. More than 40 Hindi films were shot in London last year.
Some
of the most popular locations for Indian films have been Trafalgar
Square, Natural History Museum, Tower Bridge, the Royal Albert Hall,
Millennium Dome, the houses of parliament, Nelson's Column and the
London Eye.
Some of the better-known films shot at London locations are:
-
The Waterloo Station is Britain's largest station, covering an area of
24.5 acres. In "Jhoom Barabar Jhoom" (2007), it is the key location
around which the story revolves, including a dance sequence starring
Amitabh Bachchan. Complex scenes were filmed early on weekend mornings,
but the majority was shot during the day while amazed passengers looked
on.
- The London Eye is one of London's most popular filming
locations thanks to its unique silhouette against the capital's
skyline. Shoots include "Bride & Prejudice" (2004), "Wimbledon"
(2004) and "Thunderbirds" (2004).
- Southall is home to one of
the largest Indian communities in London and was the setting for
Simran's home in "Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge" (1995). The external
shots were filmed in Southall but the internal shots were filmed in
Film City, Mumbai.
- The Albert Memorial is located in
Kensington Gardens and was commissioned by Queen Victoria in memory of
her husband in 1861. It features in "Mujhse Dosti Karoge" (2002) and
also appears in "The Jokers" (1967), starring Michael Crawford and
Oliver Reed, and "Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes"
(1984).
- Hyde Park was one of one of the locations for a song
in "Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham". The song culminates with an early
morning dance sequence shot at the British Museum.
Several
cinemas in London screen Bollywood films, including the Himalaya
Palace, Southall; Safarai Cinema, Harrow; Belle-Vue Cinema, Willesden
Green, and the Boleyn Cinema, Upton Park. Cineworld Cinemas in Wood
Green, Wandsworth and Feltham also have regular Bollywood screenings.
To
celebrate the partnership between the Indian and British film
industries, the International Indian Film Academy is coming to
Yorkshire for a weekend of film premieres, festivals, special events
and awards June 7-10.
The launch of the map coincided with the
recent unveiling of a waxwork of Shah Rukh Khan at Madame Tussauds. Two
of his most popular films, "Kabhi Khushie Kabhie Gham" and "Dilwale
Dulhania Le Jayenge", are featured on the movie map.
Indo-Asian News Service
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