Gujarat is home to a number of heritage structures. While some are known for their historical significance, others attract thousands of tourists for their structural beauty. And filmmakers are no exception. Be it Bollywood, the regional film industry, or filmmakers from the Southern film industries, a number of films have captured the timeless beauty of these heritage monuments that sizzle on the silver screen adding more beauty to every scene.

Be it the Ahmedabad’s Adalaj Ni Vav, Jama Masjid, Ellis Bridge or the pol houses, or Vadodara’s Laxmi Vilas Palace, the fort of Devgadh Baria, Gondal Palace and Champaner’s Jami Masjid, these marvellous gems have remained in the backdrop in some memorable films. As we celebrated Heritage Week recently, we tell you what’s about these heritage sites that continue to attract filmmakers from across film industries:

Giving a perfect take with the majestic Laxmi Vilas Palace in the background, shooting around the beautifully carved pillars at Champaner’s Jami Masjid, or capturing the beauty of Adalaj Ni Vav, the heritage sites add a lot of character to the scene, believe filmmakers. “The heritage sites in Gujarat are known for their architectural beauty and bring a very unique aesthetic to the film. It is hard to get that kind of essence anywhere else,” says filmmaker Vipul Mehta.

Others feel that heritage sites like the pol houses of Ahmedabad are so deeply ingrained in the culture, that shooting a scene there effortlessly brings that cultural nuance of life. Filmmaker Tapan Vyas says, “The heritage sites like the pol houses are such an important part of the Gujarati culture, that the moment you shoot a scene there, it adds that cultural richness into it. You can’t recreate that essence anywhere else.”

Their architectural beauty and majestic structures not only make a scene look beautiful, but it also is a delight for the actors to shoot in such lovely locales. Several actors, who have shot at different heritage sites in Gujarat have gone back to visit.

Actress Nandana Sen, who shot for the film Rang Rasiya at the Laxmi Vilas Palace in Vadodara, had told us, “Shooting at the Laxmi Vilas Palace was magical and will remain one of my favourite memories in life. It’s a really majestic palace and also, the museum is a treasure trove of some great paintings by Raja Ravi Varma.”

In 2016, a Hindi film starring Prosenjit Chatterjee was shot at Darbargadh, a large haveli, in Bhadarwa. Bhadarwa, an approximately 45 minutes’ drive from Vadodara, was a princely state once. At that time, Prosenjit had told us, “When I stood at the terrace of Darbargadh, I fell in love with the location. I loved the view from the top. We don’t get to see too many havelis like this anymore and it was an absolute delight to shoot here. It is one of those rare locations which can add a lot of value to a film.”

For long, Gujarat has been one of the easiest states for getting shooting permissions. And getting permission to shoot at a heritage site is no exception. The only criteria film crew members must follow is that there should be no damage to the property. “The state government has made the process of getting the permissions quite easy. And it is a big help for the local industry as well as for filmmakers coming from Bollywood as such shoots help in generating revenue,” says producer Harsh Vasanani.

In 2012, some portions of the film Grand Masti were shot at the Laxmi Vilas Palace in Vadodara. Producer Ashok Thakeria had told us, “We loved shooting at the Laxmi Vilas Palace. It was an unforgettable experience. In Gujarat, people go out of their way to help and that makes shooting a cakewalk.”

— With inputs from Soumitra Das

A Hindi film starring Prosenjit Chatterjee was shot at Darbargadh, a large haveli, in Bhadarwa