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7 Bollywood movies that will whisk you off to Darjeeling, on Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and Disney+ Hotstar
Darjeeling, also known as the Queen of the Hills, is a favourite among filmmakers for its quaint charm and picturesque landscape
Where else would you go for a breathtaking view of the mighty Kanchenjunga range, or to watch a toy train with smiling passengers as it chugs past right next to you on the road? Darjeeling, also known as the Queen of the Hills, has a quaint charm about it. Buildings that boast of colonial decor, heritage eateries, sprawling tea gardens and the highest railway station in the country are all part of its appeal—and filmmakers have been capturing the same on screen for several years. Nasir Hussain’s Jab Pyaar Kisi Se Hota Hai is known to be among the first Bollywood films to be shot in Darjeeling, in 1961. Popular movies like Professor, Bobby, Barsaat Ki Ek Raat and Anurodh made use of its picturesque locales too. A small sequence of the 2010 Hollywood film, The Way Back, starring Ed Harris, Jim Sturgess and Collin Farrell, was also shot in Darjeeling. If an escape to this pleasantly old-fashioned hill station is on your mind, we suggest you watch some of these movies first.
Barfi (2012)
Shot extensively in Darjeeling, Barfi is the tale of a hearing-impaired and mute boy (Ranbir Kapoor) and his relationship with the two women in his life—Shruti (Ileana D’Cruz) and Jhilmil (Priyanka Chopra). Some of the prominent shooting locations include Sukna, Tindharia, Chowrasta, Darjeeling Himalayan Railway Station at Ghoom, Windamere Hotel, Keventer's and Planters Club. Familiar sights such as the Capital Clock Tower, tea gardens, colourful prayer flags and wooden houses add to the charm of the movie.
Streaming on Netflix
Yaariyan (2014)
Divya Khosla Kumar’s directorial debut was a coming-of-age film about five friends, who meet in college. Romance and friendship blossoms on campus, with St Joseph’s School in Darjeeling providing the perfect backdrop with its tinned rooftops, arches, quadrangle, spacious rooms and library, and the mighty Kanchenjunga mountain range in the background.
Streaming on Disney+ Hotstar
Parineeta (2005)
Shot aboard the Darjeeling toy train, the song “Kasto Mazza Hai” from director Pradeep Sarkar’s period drama captures the beauty of the city as the train chugs past hills and forests. The best part about the song—a couple of red-cheeked kids looking out from the train's wide windows, singing the chorus as Shekhar (Saif Ali Khan) daydreams about his ladylove, Lalita (Vidya Balan).
Streaming on Netflix
Main Hoon Na (2004)
Major Ram Sharma (Shah Rukh Khan) steps out of the train and emerges from a haze of smoke steam at the railway station in Darjeeling. His aim is to save Sanjana (Amrita Rao) from terrorists and for that, he has to go undercover as a student in her college. Much of the movie's shooting took place at St Paul’s School in Darjeeling, which is shown to be their campus. The popular song “Chale Jaise Hawaayein” was also filmed on the school grounds.
Streaming on Netflix
Jagga Jasoos (2017)
Four years after Barfi, the director-actor duo of Anurag Basu and Ranbir Kapoor returned to the Queen of the Hills to shoot some portions of their musical-comedy-adventure film, Jagga Jasoos. Chowrasta, Bhutia Basti and St Paul’s School—with the latter being shown as Jagga’s (Kapoor) school—figure prominently in the movie.
Streaming on Netflix
Raju Ban Gaya Gentleman (1992)
While most of this Aziz Mirza-directorial is about Raju Mathur’s (Shah Rukh Khan) struggle to make it big in Mumbai, he is first shown as a young engineering student in Darjeeling. Interestingly, the actor got married to Gauri Khan during the shoot of the film and took her along to the city for their honeymoon. The popular song “Dil Hai Mera Deewana” was shot on the streets of the hill station, with the visuals of the toy train and Tenzing Rock, a popular tourist destination.
Streaming on Amazon Prime Video
Aradhana (1969)
Way before Saif Ali Khan featured in Parineeta, his mother Sharmila Tagore and her co-star Rajesh Khanna had immortalised the Darjeeling toy train with their superhit song “Mere Sapno Ki Rani”. Vandana (Tagore) is seen enjoying the train ride as Indian Air Force officer Arun Varma (Khanna) follows her in an open jeep and serenades her with a song.
Streaming on Amazon Prime Video
Also read:
7 Bollywood movies that capture the true spirit of Mumbai, on Netflix and Amazon Prime Video
