Amazing places Imtiaz Ali movies took us to

Director-producer Imtiaz Ali has given us so many blockbusters and, perhaps more importantly, to the travel community, his movies gave us so many cool destinations. From his most iconic movies like Jab We Met and Highway to the more recent Love Aaj Kal 2, Imtiaz has made sure to keep the quality high when it comes to locations. We agree that movies depend a lot on the story and those who play the roles, but it goes without saying that great destinations, more often than not, keep us hooked.

Here, our favourite destinations that played major roles in Imtiaz Ali’s movies.

The movie Jab We Met takes us on a whirlwind of a road trip with Shahid Kapur and Kareena Kapoor. First stop: Rohtang Pass. As the duo drive through the snow covered road in the song Yeh Ishq Hai, we can’t help but sing-along and fantasise about the place. That’s the beautiful Rohtang Pass during the winter season. It is one of the best destinations for adventure road trips, be it on a four-wheeler or a motorcycle. The second part of the song was shot in the beautiful Naggar Palace in Manali.

Shimla was one of the important locations as per the movie Jab We Met’s storyline. Kareena Kapoor’s role as Geet Dhillon undergoes a drastic change; from a charming, bubbly and talkative to a reserved and sombre life. Shimla showed that transition perfectly.

We are in love with Kinnaur, and so is the cast of the movie Love Aaj Kal 2. The movie was filmed in several locations in Kinnaur district including Chitkul, Sangla Valley, Rakcham Valley and by Baspa River. Each and every picturesque destination fits perfectly with the storyline.

A large part of the movie Rockstar was filmed in the picture perfect valleys of Kashmir. We got to see the beautiful snow-capped mountains to the lush green meadows of Betaab Valley, Kulgam, Kupwara, Pahalgam and Srinagar. The song, Yeh Chaand Sa Roshan Chehra, was filmed at the famous Dal Lake.

The movie Cocktail’s story was largely based in London, so it was fair only that most of the movie was filmed there. You get to see a lot of London street life, the busy road, people and some iconic locations like Leicester Square, Piccadilly Circus, Borough Market, Battersea Park, Bank Station, Portobello Road, and Mayfair.

It’s no surprise that we are still in love with the movie Highway. That was some wanderlust, wasn’t it? Did you know that the second and the most important part of the movie was filmed in Aru Valley? Both Aru Valley and Pahalgam (located around 15 km from Aru Valley) are shown beautifully.

The region of Spiti is known for the high-altitude cold desert and dangerous roads. It sat perfectly with the movie Highway. The famous song Maahi Ve by AR Rahman takes us to many of these beautiful destinations in Lahaul and Spiti district.

Let’s be honest, we didn’t look up Corsica before the movie Tamasha made the island one of its main filming locations. The French island of Corsica with its quaint streets and seaside views won our hearts.

The movie Jab Harry Met Sejal had us go ga-ga over the beautiful city of Amsterdam. The movie takes us to the grand Rijksmuseum, home to some of the best of Dutch art and history, and also to the streets of Amsterdam where you will see some of the most beautiful sights ever. From canals to colourful homes, Amsterdam never fails to amaze us.

Also, another place that can be prominently seen in the movie Jab Harry Met Sejal, is the city of Budapest in Hungary. The city’s riverfront architecture and other historical buildings gave the movie such a lovely setting. It’s all about strong visual love when it comes to Budapest.