Lion (2018)
This internationally acclaimed movie directed by Garth Davis is based on the book A Long Way Home by Saroo Brierley which tracks his journey of finding his birth mother, who he had been estranged from in India at the age of 5. The movie is heart-wrenching and well-told, with an honest portrayal of India. In the movie, you’ll see multiple snippets of some famous, some not so famous locations across India. You’ll be able to spot the famous Howrah station in Kolkatta, Amherst street, Bowbazar, and various others, along with the Ganesh Talai area of Khandwa, a small town in Madhya Pradesh. The film is a very close adoption of the book, and readers of the famous novel will be able to tell the similarities and small details they got right. It is recommended that you watch this movie for its heartwarming story, the depiction of the plight of children in poverty, and the incredible journey of one five year old across the bustling streets of Kolkata, the crowded historic train stations, and the narrow streets of a slum in a small town.
Octopussy (1983)
Octopussy is the 13th film in the James Bond franchise and the sixth to feature Roger Moore as the suave and sophisticated British secret agent. Investigating the murder of a fellow agent, it sees the globe-trotting spy travel to India where his trails led him to the mysterious Octopussy, who he ends up later enlisting to help thwart the dastardly plans of exiled Afghan Prince, Kamal Khan, who is working with the deranged Soviet General Orlov, to detonate a nuclear bomb on an American airbase in West Germany.
With much being filmed in India, audiences are treated to plenty of high-octane action sequences, including brawls in the densely populated streets whilst riding a tuk-tuk, as well as Bond hanging onto the tail of a moving airplane whilst high in the sky. There are also plenty of elegant palaces, with images of the Taj Mahal and locations including the Shiv Niwas Palace, Taj Lake Palace and Jag Mandir Palace, being used.
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984)
Thereâs been a lot of talk about Indiana Jones recently, with the release of the fifth installment in the mega-successful action-adventure franchise on the horizon, and the news that this will be Harrison Fordâs last-ever outing as the iconic adventurer. The first movie in the series, Raiders of the Lost Ark, was released in 1981 and changed the movie landscape forever, creating one of Hollywoodâs most beloved and recognizable heroes in the process. Ford went on to once again don the fedora and whip for its sequel The Temple of Doom.
It is a rip-roaring adventure that takes place within the jungles and temples of northern India. While it is undeniably a fantastic movie combing the perfect level of action, adventure, humor, heart and intrigue, upon seeing the script, the Indian government was the most pleased. Understandably, they argued that some of the Indian characters played up to negative stereotypes, and certain parts made India look like an uncivilized and even barbaric nation. As a result, they refused the rights for the production team to shoot any of the movie in the country. So, while it is set in India, most of the movie was, in fact, shot in the neighboring country of Sri Lanka.
Gandhi (1982)
When it comes to awards, this 1982 biopic is one of the most highly decorated there is. Starring Ben Kingsley as the eponymous Gandhi, Gandhi tells the story of how he led the nonviolent non-cooperative Indian independence movement against the British Empire during the 20th Century. Visually stunning, beautifully acted, and telling an important story, the movie was nominated for 11 Oscars, winning eight, including Best Actor for Kingsley as well as Best Director and Best Picture.
Mission: Impossible â Ghost Protocol (2011)
This is the 2011 American action spy film directed by Brad Bird (in his live-action debut) and produced by and starring Tom Cruise from a screenplay by Josh Appelbaum and AndrĂ© Nemec. It is the sequel to Mission: Impossible III (2006) and is the fourth installment in the Mission: Impossible film series. It also stars Jeremy Renner, Simon Pegg, and Paula Patton. In the film, the Impossible Missions Force (IMF) is shut down after being publicly implicated in a bombing of the Kremlin, causing Ethan Hunt (Cruise) and his team to go without resources or backup in a life-threatening effort to clear their names. Jane has to seduce and then overpower an Indian tycoon, played by Anil Kappor, to get an obsolete Russian military satellite’s override code.