Kerala makes an ideal destination for film shooting.
Kerala, God's Own Country, has always been in the good books of filmmakers from all around the nation. The South Indian state is truly blessed with picturesque landscapes which, if captured properly, would add a sense of aesthetics in cinema. Be it a big budget film or low-budget indie project, you have a lot of options such as the gorgeous beaches, majestic hill stations, enchanting waterfalls, pristine backwaters, lush greenery, historic forts and a lot more. Also, the pleasant weather, abundance of transportation options and especially the reasonable production cost come as some added advantages in the shooting procedure. So, without further ado, let's have a look at some of the most iconic film shooting locations across the state of Kerala.
Remember the iconic scene from 'Bahubali' where the hero walks holding the Shivling on his shoulder in front of a mighty waterfall? Well, that's shot at the iconic Athirapally Waterfall in Kerala. Over the years, it has been captured in numerous cult films such as 'Iruvar' 'Dil Se', 'Raavan', 'Guru' etc.
Munnar is a heavenly site packed with hills, tea plantations and lots of greenery. The song sequence of "Kashmir Main, Tu Kanyakumari" from the SRK - Deepika Padukone starrer 'Chennai Express' literally popularized the location as an ultimate honeymoon destination in India. Some other films shot at Munnar are 'Dil Se', 'Raavan', 'Gupt', 'Nishabdh' and even the Oscar-winning 'Life of Pie'.
Alappuzha is referred to as the Venice of the East. The magnificent green backwaters along with the pristine beach, the coconut groves, the paddy fields and the lighthouse of Alappuzha have been captured time and again in a number of films from numerous industries. The brilliant "Jiya Jale" song sequence from "Dil Se" was shot here. The list also includes some other popular films such as 'Tashaan', 'Ek Deewana Tha', 'Vinnaithaandi Varuvaayaa', 'Amen', 'Autograph' etc.
Ever since the Mohanlal starrer superhit thriller 'Drishyam' released, Thodupuzha has gradually emerged as a prime shooting location for Malayalam as well as Tamil cinema. The town seems like a paradise with the vast green fields, charming waterfalls along with the surrounding mountains. Apart from 'Drishyam' franchise, it has also been captured in films like 'Aadupuliyattam', 'Rasathanthram', 'Kattappanayile Rithwik Roshan' etc.
A centuries-old structure, Bekal Fort happens to be the largest fort in Kerala. The entire fort complex appears absolutely stunning, thanks to the green gardens, the long pathways, the coconut groves, the beach filled with golden sands along with the surrounding majestic hills. It served as the shooting location of the iconic song sequence "Uyire..." ("Tu Hi Re..." in the Hindi version) from the Mani Ratnam directorial film 'Bombay'.
Thekkady, Chinnar, Vagamon, Kovalam, Nelliyampathy etc. are some other major shooting locations in Kerala.
