Mani Ratnam is one of the most celebrated and renowned filmmakers in India. Apart from the beautifully-written stories and powerful performances, he shoots his movies at the most stunning locations. Remember the gushing Athirappilly waterfalls in Dil Se’s Jiya Jale song? Those scenes are etched in our minds. Now, Kerala has partnered with Mani Ratnam for their ambitious Cinema Tourism Project.
Mani Ratnam Teams Up With Kerala’s Cinematic Tourism Project
According to a report by Times Of India, Kerala’s tourism department has launched a dream project, ‘Cinema Tourism Project’. For this, they teamed up with renowned director Mani Ratnam to endorse the iconic locations in Kerala that featured in his films. The report by TOI mentions, that the director promised Kerala Tourism Minister P A Mohamed Riyas to promote destinations in God’s Own Country in his hit films as part of the state’s cinema tourism campaign.
For this, the Kerala tourism department will organise a show at Bekal Fort in Kerala’s Kasargod district. The state’s largest fort, Bekal Fort, is a medieval structure built by Shivappa Nayaka in 1650 AD. You’d remember this fort as the shooting location of the hauntingly beautiful song, Tu Hi Re from the Manisha Koirala, Aravind Swami -starrer, Bombay. This 300-year-old fort covered in green moss, facing the crashing waves, is one of the most stunning destinations in Kerala.
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Explore Bekal Fort, Athirappally Falls & More Locations Featured In Iconic Films
Mani Ratnam will participate in a show at Bekal Fort. With this cinema tourism project, Kerala aims to attract movie fans as well as travel enthusiasts. According to Times Of India, Mani Ratnam expressed his gratitude for the project and even recalled Kerala’s scenic landscapes which have played vital roles in his films, especially in his melodious song sequences.
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Kerala Tourism Minister P A Mohamed Riyas, also the son-in-law of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan stated that Mani Ratnam’s presence in itself is a massive boost for the Cinema Tourism Project. Apart from the film Bombay, Bekal Fort is also featured in the Malayalam Mohanlal-starrer, Unaroo. In Mani Ratnam’s classic, Guru, Athirappally Falls is the location for Aishwarya Rai’s iconic song, Barso Re Megha.
Meanwhile, movie lovers, when are you planning to visit Kerala to take a cinema tour of Mani Ratnam’s stunning Kerala locales?