From Tenet to Extraction – Check out these 5 Hollywood films that were filmed in India

It's a curious case of cinematic opposites. While Bollywood often casts its gaze abroad, seeking picturesque backdrops for songs and key scenes, Hollywood finds itself drawn to India's vibrant tapestry as a filming destination.

Hollywood's gaze is captivated by India's mystical allure, leading to captivating films that translate its vibrant charm to the silver screen. Breathtaking landscapes, vibrant cultures, and a rich history have long made India a magnet for filmmakers seeking backdrops that are both exotic and captivating.

There are numerous films in Hollywood which are shot in India, and here we bring you five popular ones, which will amaze you:

Tenet

This Christopher Nolan-directorial was released in 2020. It tells a story about a secret agent, his only weapon, a cryptic utterance, races against the clock to prevent the world from plunging into the abyss of global war. Time itself becomes his battlefield, its laws a malleable obstacle to be overcome. He is the lone thread weaving through the tapestry of history, desperately trying to avert the unravelling of civilization. Several scenes from Tenet were shot in Mumbai like - Colaba Causeway, outside the famous Cafe Mondegar, Breach Candy hospital, and behind the iconic Taj Hotel.

Eat, Pray, Love

This Julia Roberts-starrer tells the story of a woman named Elizabeth Gilbert, whose life has shattered after her divorce. She feels the ground is getting vanished beneath her feet. Driven by an insatiable yearning to reconnect with her authentic self, she embarks on a global odyssey, a metaphorical pilgrimage toward the rediscovery of her core essence. The film is based on journalist-author Elizabeth Gilbert’s namesake memoir. The whole film is shot in India, and Julia visited Delhi, and a few ashrams to find solace.

Slumdog Millionaire

This film tells a story about a teenage boy, plucked from the grimy depths of Mumbai's slums, he finds himself bathed in the dazzling lights of ‘Kaun Banega Crorepati?’. His meteoric rise through the quiz show, however, lands him under suspicion. Accused of cheating, he is forced to confront his past, each answer unlocking a hidden memory, a forgotten chapter of his tumultuous life. Although the film is made by a Hollywood director and producers, it has mostly Indian origin actors like – Irrfan Khan, Anil Kapoor, Dev Patel, Freida Pinto, Rubina Ali, and Madhur Mittal. The film bagged seven Oscars in 2009, and was wholly shot in Mumbai’s slums.

Mission Impossible 4

This Tom Cruise-starrer follows Ethan Hunt, a seasoned IMF agent with nerves of steel and a knack for the impossible, was summoned for a mission of paramount importance: to infiltrate the heavily guarded Kremlin, heart of Russian power, and unearth classified files that held the key to unmasking Cobalt, a rogue agent hellbent on triggering a nuclear holocaust. This fourth instalment of the Hollywood spy film-series was shot in Mumbai, where a scene displayed narrow lanes.

Extraction

This Chris Hemsworth-starrer was released during the pandemic on Netflix, and garnered immense appreciation. Tyler, a man who is haunted by shadows, found himself staring down a proposition, rescuing an Indian crime lord’s young son from a gilded cage in Bangladesh. He wasn't a saint, but something about the desperation in the crime lord's eyes snagged at him. He took the job, the promise of a hefty payday a balm on his troubled soul. The film was shot in Gujarat's Ahmedabad.