Lonely Planet ropes in Imtiaz Ali to launches travel guide inspired by Indian cinema

Remember the iconic mustard fields of Amritsar where Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol re-united in Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge? Or Tughlaqabad Fort in Delhi where Hrithik Roshan serenaded Preity Zinta in Lakshya? Or the Nineth Mile in Ooty where Aamir Khan and Karisma Kapoor danced in Raja Hindustani? Indian cinema lovers are all set to re-live their favourite cinematic moments that makes travel destinations special. World’s leading travel experts Lonely Planet have brought to India a first of its kind – a travel guide combining the fascinating worlds of travel and Indian cinema – with the launch of ‘Filmi Escapes – Travel with the movies’. The travel guide was launched by Daniel Houghton, Chief Operating Officer, Lonely Planet, Sesh Seshadri, Director, Lonely Planet India and renowned film maker Imtiaz Ali at PVR Cinema Juhu, Mumbai.

Lonely Planet’s Filmi Escapes shows India as seen through the eyes of film-makers, who have over the years presented beautiful locations to the viewers through the lense. Be it the beautiful Ladakh with Aamir Khan and Kareena Kapoor in 3 Idiots, the serene Kasauli with Hrithik Roshan in Krrish, or the exotic Kutch with Salman Khan and Aishwarya Rai in Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam. Lonely Planet's Filmi Escapes revisits these cities, towns, hills, beaches, lakes, waterfalls, historic forts, palaces, temples and much more – remembering every cinematic moment that made these destinations memorable.

Filmi Escapes provides specialist information on hotels, transport, food and sightseeing. This information is accompanied by interesting filmi moments, trivia, amusing anecdotes and stunning images.

Commenting on the launch, Daniel Houghton, Chief Operating Officer, Lonely Planet said, “Lonely Planet entered the Indian market in 2012, and has had a great and exciting year in the country with several successful guidebook series. Over the years, travelers in India have evolved seeking more informed and fascinating travel experiences. With this launch, we are hoping to tap into the most talked about and cherished topic in the country – Indian cinema. The reach of Indian cinema is phenomenal, with a great influence over many international travelers as well. With this launch and many other interesting launches in the pipeline, we hope to reach out to Indian travelers across demographics and geographies.”

In Filmi Escapes Lonely Planet lists the must-see sights and experiences of over 20 domestic destinations that are glorious locations in popular Indian films. The destinations include Delhi, Agra, Lucknow, Varanasi, Shimla, Kasauli, Nainital, Amritsar, Kashmir, Ladakh, Udaipur, Jaisalmer, Mumbai, the Western Ghats, Goa, Gujarat, Kolkata, Darjeeling and Ooty.  The travel guide also includes interviews of renowned film personalities such as Karan Johar, Mahesh Bhatt, Dibakar Banerjee. Nargis Fakhri, Muzaffar Ali, Raima Sen and more, talking about their favorite destinations and films.
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Talking about the influence of Indian cinema on travel, Sesh Seshadri, Director, Lonely Planet India said, “Cinema has always proved to be a great influence on the Indian society in every manner. Movies have familiarized us with our own country, often inspiring us to travel to locations where they have been shot. As per our research, over 60% of Indian travelers are influenced by Indian cinema aspiring to travel to specific locations shown in the movies. In fact, many tourist guides across the country use filmi anecdotes of various movies to make the travel more interesting. With us celebrating the 100th year of Indian cinema this year, this seems to be the ideal time to present to India the first ever travel guide on their favourite film locations. With the launch of Filmi Escapes, we are sure travel experiences shall never be the same again for the true Indian film buffs.”

Launching Lonely Planet’s ‘Filmi Escapes’, renowned film maker Imtiaz Ali said, “I have always loved to travel - both in personal time and in movies. I love exploring different locales and cultures. Be it Goa in Socha Na Tha, Shimla and Manali in Jab We Met, London and San Francisco in Love Aaj Kal or Delhi, Prague and Verona  in Rockstar, I have always tried to bring beautiful locales, colourful cities and unique cultures to my films. Being the world travel leaders, Lonely Planet has often found it's way to my travel kit. Now Lonely Planet has come up with a great concept taking travel and Indian cinema to a different level altogether.” 

Filmi Escapes is a full color guide with some never seen before collection of film images and posters. Priced at Rs. Rs. 595/-, the travel guide has 344 pages.