The glamour of Bollywood

Of course you can visit one of Mumbai’s many cinemas to immerse yourself in the famous Hindi film genre. Keep in mind, however, that the average Bollywood film lasts at least 3 hours, so you might rather take a look behind the scenes. There are various organised tours (with a private guide or by bus) of Film City, just north of Mumbai. This historic 495-acre complex is a chain of studios and film sets with real houses, schools, hospitals, temples and even complete villages. As they are always shooting a film or an episode of a soap series, you are very likely to run into actors and dancers in action. The tour also takes you to film locations outside of the complex, such as those of the blockbuster Slumdog Millionaire. Most guides conclude the tour with a visit to the exclusive upscale suburban district of Bandra to see the mansions of famous Indian film stars. Have a look at the multi-million dollar mansion of Shahrukh Khan, a Bollywood mega star with more than 70 film credits.