To be honest, this week flashed right before my eyes. I was in Kerala just last weekend taking in the magnificent tropics and now I am starting my last week in Hyderabad for this summer. I have enjoyed ICRISAT campus a lot, it offers so much and I can never be bored on campus! It all is going by so fast, it's so surreal to believe it. The biggest lesson I learned while being here in Hyderabad is to experience and cherish every opportunity given to you. Not only did I learn agricultural research through legumes but also really dove into Hyderabadi culture.
Hyderabad is one of the famous cities in India and it's also home to the largest film studio in the world. On this trip, I visited so many remarkable places, each boasting grand titles, including the world’s longest table (Falaknuma), India’s largest mall (Lulu Mall), the world’s largest bird statue (Jatayu), and now the world’s largest film studio. Ramoji Film City. Growing up, I would always have movie nights with my family and would also go to a lot of Bollywood films in theaters. Movies are a huge thing in my family and we always love a good Bollywood film on a Friday night! My go-to Bollywood movie would definitely have to be Chennai Express. I always adore comedy Hindi movies and it also stars my favorite actress, Deepika Padukone. The reason why I mentioned my favorite Bollywood film is because this is one of the many films that was filmed at Ramoji. I was so excited when I got the word that I was going to go there.
On Saturday, the weather was not entirely the best, it was raining all day. However, Zara and I brought our umbrellas and still got through it! When we arrived, we were welcomed by the incredible sign in the front and it was beautiful. Ramoji has shot over 2500+ films and there were a lot of places that looked familiar from the many Bollywood movies I have watched in the past. We rode on buses throughout the day and saw many movie sets that included hotels, gardens, mansions, workshops, apartment blocks, etc. The film city had a lot to offer and there weren’t that many people since it was raining so we took our time at each place!
Bahubali is an Indian epic film series that follows the tale of two royal cousins fighting for the throne of the ancient kingdom of Mahishmati. Often compared to the scale and impact of movies like “The Lord of the Rings” in the U.S., Bahubali has become a cultural phenomenon all over India. In 2015, I watched Bahubali: The Beginning with my father and brother in Kerala. And then, in 2017, I watched Bahubali: The Conclusion in the US. These films had some of the best scenes and songs that I cherished a lot and a lot of it was filmed right here in Ramoji. There was an entirely separate section that was dedicated to the props that were used in the Bahubali films.
Despite the rain all day, I had a great time at Ramoji seeing different movie sets. I’m so beyond happy that I got to fit this in before leaving too! The experience was amazing, and the sets were incredible. Even the rain couldn’t dampen my excitement. I’m really grateful for this adventure and the memories I made at Ramoji Film City. It was definitely worth the price! As I conclude my blog at 11:10 pm, I would also like to mention one more thing to end off week 7. I had some biriyani a couple of hours ago and I have got to say that all the biriyanis I have had so far have not disappointed me at all. Okay, now goodnight!
R. Kalluvila