Bulgaria to Corsica: Bollywood goes beyond the known

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If the 60s had Shammi Kapoor taking a shikara ride in the picturesque Dal Lake and running around trees in the beautiful Nishat Bagh; in the 90s, King of Romance Yash Chopra immortalised the snow-clad mountains of Switzerland in his films. From Zurich to Geneva to Mount Titlis, Bollywood hasn't left out a single breathtaking sight in Switzerland that could not be captured on lens. But almost two decades later, a few filmmakers realised that the world doesn't just comprise Switzerland, and it's always cool to chart new territories.

Welcome to 2015. Some of the most beautiful and unexplored places are all set to form the canvas in upcoming Bollywood films this year. If Shah Rukh Khan is busy taking to the streets of Bulgaria with his favourite co-star Kajol for Rohit Shetty's Dilwale, Ranbir Kapoor and Deepika Padukone have travelled to the swanky Tokyo and the lesser-known-in-Bollywood island of Corsica for Imtiaz Ali's Tamasha.

Some of our filmmakers have consciously decided to give the much popular destinations a miss this year. Steering away from the boulevards and squares of Paris and Venice's signature waterway, it's the coastlines of Eastern Europe and cultural landscape of Beirut that has caught their fancy this time around.

If Spain ended up on many travellers' must-visit list after watching Zoya Akhtar's Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara, the same might happen with numerous other lesser-known destinations, too, after one is done watching films that are being shot here now.

Bulgaria

The Balkan state, whose conflicts with neighbour Greece is often the fodder for news on the international pages of newspapers, is suddenly on the lips of every Bollywood fan, courtesy Rohit Shetty and Shah Rukh Khan. The first pictures of Shah Rukh Khan with Kajol from the sets of Dilwale broke the internet a few weeks back, and all of a sudden, a country, wedged between Serbia, Romania, Greece and Turkey, has become the talking point back in India. Actors Varun Dhawan and Kriti Sanon are currently busy shooting for a Dilwale song in the country.

Tokyo

Remember Asha Parekh in a kimono, singing Sayonara Sayonara at Hibaya Park in the 1966 film Love in Tokyo? It's been more than 40 years since that made an appearance in the theatres, but not many filmmakers have captured the beauty of Japan on their lens yet. However, Imtiaz Ali is all set to recreate the magic of Japan with his upcoming romantic drama Tamasha. The director flew to the fast-paced, bustling Tokyo with the cast and crew to shoot the climax of the film in the Japan capital.

The 1996 film Papa Kehte Hai not just catapulted Jugal Hansraj and Mayuri Kango's career in Bollywood, but also introduced Indian audiences to the beautiful island country of Seychelles. The white sand beaches and crystal blue water left viewers awestruck with its sheer beauty. Cut to 2015; actor John Abraham is currently busy shooting for his upcoming film Rocky Handsome with Shruti Haasan in Seychelles. And, even he couldn't stop gushing about this beautiful place.

It's not just the coastal lines of this Eastern Europe country that has held director Maneesh Sharma captive, but the old world charm of Dubrovnik, too, has cast a spell on him. It is these that the director is attempting to capture on his camera in the film Fan. Shah Rukh Khan flew to this coastal city in March to shoot for the last schedule of the film. Known for its Gothic and Renaissance architecture, it would be interesting to see the beauty of this small Croatian city.

Beirut

Kabir Khan's next Phantom, starring Saif Ali Khan and Katrina Kaif, has been shot extensively in Beirut. Revolving around the issue of counter-terrorism, the first pictures from the sets of the film in Lebanon, with the two lead actors, had gone viral in 2013. For this action thriller, Khan had shot around Khandak al-Ghameek in Beirut and the mountainous areas of Kfardebian, the largest ski resort in the Middle East.

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Corsica

An island in the Mediterranean Sea, Corsica has opened its doors for Bollywood with Imtiaz Ali's Tamasha. It is the first Bollywood film to be shot in the French island. Ranbir Kapoor and Deepika Padukone filmed the first schedule of their upcoming romantic drama in this beautiful place. From Bonifacio to Basta Museum, the Indian audience will get a slice of French and Italian amalgamation through Imtiaz Ali's eyes.