Ramoji Film City, The Dream Factory

360° Panoramic Views 1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10  11  12

A Different Museum

Parade is another huge site of interest to both the demanding tourist and the film fraternity. Walking through it is like reliving the experience of browsing the contents of a vast museum. It is a giant storehouse of fabrics, period costumes, furniture, weaponry, knick-knacks, jewellery, pottery, crockery, clocks, furnishings, lamps, chandeliers, wall hangings, paintings, decorative artifacts, wardrobes, footwear etc. In a few minutes, artisans here can assemble a drawing room of the third millennium or a Moghul durbar, a shoe shop or a ramp for a fashion show. Ask for a Scottish kilt or a Japanese kimono or a Kashmiri pheran, it is there. You can design your clothes and experts at the tailoring shop will cut stitch and deliver your fancies overnight.

The Film City tour takes you through a world full of surprises, scares, and delights. You are taken in special buses first to Eureka, which is the beginning and also the end of the tour. Eureka is an architectural reproduction of a bygone era taking you across ornamental bridges and into the bowels of forts. Get past 72 steps to arrive at Mauryan magic or walk down the replicas of Mughal glory. In contrast is the rugged Wild West replete with horses, cowboys, and gunfights. Looks like a set of Jesse James supplanted from Hollywood. If you are not there first thing in the morning, you will miss the morning welcome ceremony with kings and queens, music and pageant of the likes of Disneyland. An equally enchanting programme in the evening winds up the tour.

If you are lucky you may hover around the shooting of a Bollywood or Tollywood, now even a Hollywood, film in shooting. Amitabh Bacchan and Govinda starrer “Bade Miya, Chote Miya” was shot here. Telugu blockbuster “Nuvve Kaavaali” was made here. “Crocodile 2” and “Panic” have been shot here. David Dhawan, Vijay Bhaskar and Sam Firstenberg are among directors who made their pictures here. All top heroes and heroines from Anil Kapoor of Hindi films to Venkatesh of Telugu films, Manisha Koirala, Soundarya and Hollywood hunks and beauties enjoyed the facilities available at the Film City. Who knows, with some luck you may get an autograph of a star to take home and cherish!

Throughout the tour, well-stocked shops and stores greet you selling mementos, knick-knacks and anything that you can take back commemorating your visit. If you are thirsty or hungry, there are four restaurants at Eureka itself.

“Alampana” serving authentic Mughalai cuisine from the royal house of Awadh.
“Chanakya” for pure vegetarian cuisine, specialising in Thali meals.
“Gunsmoke” for continental-style eating, serving food which sets the palate on fire.
“Ganga Jamuna” caters pure traditional and vegetarian South Indian Thali meals that match your grandmother's culinary expertise.

<<Previous

Next >>