The trailer has been released for a new Bollywood film Uuchai, which is a story about four best friends in their dusky years who decide to trek to the Everest Base Camp. It is just one of many Indian films shot in Nepal. Our country is a primary market for Bollywood films but this film is bound to interest Nepalis a bit more, since it features our country within the central plot.
Nepal and India are two neighboring countries that share many cultural intricacies. So, it was only natural for our respective cinemas to reflect this bond. There have been many Indian films that have crossed over into Nepal in order to tell their story, whether shooting a few scenes here or basing the entire plot in the Nepali setting.
Here are 12 Indian films that were shot in Nepal.
Hare Krishna Hare Ram
Bollywood star Devanand was a great fan of Nepal and shot a few different movies in Nepal. Among them, Hare Krishna Hare Ram was the most influential. The film combined two of the most popular trends in Nepal at the time — the Hippie culture and the Bollywood culture. The movie did a great deal to develop up the Nepali cinema industry and also introduced the Indian audience to Nepal.
Ishk Ishk Ishk
Released just three years after Hare Krishna Hare Ram in 1974, Ishk Ishk Ishk was the second Devanand film shot in Nepal. The legendary Bollywood actor was still not over Nepal’s snowy landscapes, and shot the romance film at locations in Nepal and in Kalimpong, India.
Batla House
Batla House is a classic example of the kind of action thriller film that John Abraham has been specializing over the past decade or so. The movie is based on a real-life shootout between Indian police officers and a couple of terrorists. Some of the the terrorists involved in the real-life Batla House encounter absconded to Nepal, with at one working as a teacher in Nepal. The movie has faithfully adapted these real-life events and shot a number of scenes in Nepal.
Baby
The 2015 action spy film Baby features Akshay Kumar in the lead role. The movie shot a few scenes in Kathmandu, and was the source of major excitement after photos of the Bollywood star roaming around Kathmandu made it onto the internet.
10 Endrathukulla
The Tamil action comedy film 10 Endrathukulla is written as a road trip adventure, with Tamil cinema star Vijay and Samantha Ruth Prabhu in the leading roles. To keep the landscapes interesting, the movie was shot in locations around the world, including Turkey. Much of the movie was shot in Nepal, with filming mostly done in Bhaktapur.
Dev
Similar to 10 Endrathukulla, the movie Dev is also framed within a road trip, although the focus is more on romance than on action. The movie is led by popular Tamil cinema actor, Karthi and features the actor as an adventure-loving lad. The final parts of the movie is set within Nepal as the Karthi’s character decides to go on a mountain climbing adventure, with the goal of summiting Mt Everest.
Gharwali Baharwali
Gharwali Baharwali is a classic Bollywood comedy film, based on familial drama. The movie is especially memorable to Nepalis as a visit to Nepal plays a big role in the film’s story. The movie features Anil Kapoor as a married man who goes on a holiday to Nepal, only to get tricked into marrying a Nepali ‘aboriginal’ woman. He comes back home with his new wife in tow, and tries to cover up the unintentional polygamy with a mountain of lies resulting in a great deal of comedy and drama.
India's Most Wanted
The plot of this 2019 action thriller film is squarely set in Nepal, following the exploits of a team of Indian security agents who enter Nepal as tourists to capture a terrorist in hiding. Whjile a great deal of the movie was shot in Bihar, the film crew also visited Nepal to shoot a couple of scenes in Raxaul, Pokhara, and Kathmandu.
Love in Nepal
Love in Nepal is another classic Bollywood film set in Nepal. It has a rare film appearance of singer Sonu Nigam, who takes on the leading role in the movie. The movie’s plot is set in Pokhara, where Nigam’s character is forced to travel in order to shoot an advertisement for his ad agency. Love in Nepal also features a cameo appearance of Nepali actress Jharana Thapa.
Padi Padi Leche Manasu
Padi Padi Leche Manasu is a Telugu-language film that gives a very unique portrayal of Nepal. It is a romance film shot in Kathmandu, and includes the 2015 Nepal earthquake as a core part of the story.
Yevade Subramanyam
The filmmakers of Yevade Subramanyam claim to have shot in some of the highest points of the Everest region among all Indian movies. The film features well-known Telugu actors Nani and Vijay Deverakonda on a journey of self-discovery to Doodh Kashi. The movie’s director, Nag Ashwin, was especially dedicated towards filming in the authentic location, a commitment which took the crew through locations such as Lukla, Gokyo, and Chola Pass.
Thirimali
Fans of Swastima Khadka may recognize Thirimali as the Malayalam film that featured the popular actress in an item dance number. Thirimali is a movie set around a travel adventure, and is set in Nepal for the most part.
