Darjeeling is frozen in time: Anurag Basu

From Satyajit Ray, who chose Darjeeling as the backdrop for his first Bengali colour film ‘Kanchenjungha’ (1962), to Pradeep Sarkar capturing the charm of the iconic toy train in Parineeta’s much-loved track ‘Kasto Mazza Hai’ with Saif Ali Khan and Vidya Balan, this quaint hill town has long been a favourite of filmmakers. Bollywood director Anurag Basu is one such filmmaker who always returns to this hilly town to shoot his movies. He first shot in the Queen of Hills in 2011 with ‘Barfi’, starring Ranbir Kapoor, Ileana D’Cruz and Priyanka Chopra and returned in 2016 with Ranbir again for the musical ‘Jagga Jasoos’. And now, he’s back once more - this time with Kartik Aaryan and Sreeleela (of ‘Kissik’ fame from ‘Pushpa 2’) - for his latest musical venture.

So, why does Darjeeling fascinate him as a filmmaker? “I exactly don’t know why, but I love this place and I keep coming back,” he smiled. After an extensive shoot in Sikkim and Dooars (the forested plains in the northern parts of Bengal with lush green tea gardens), he wrapped up the shoot in Darjeeling on Sunday. Kartik’s character with his unkempt beard is heard singing ‘Tu Hi Aashiqui Hai’, the iconic track from the original ‘Aashiqui’ and the video is all over social media.

“When we were so close to Darjeeling, how could we stay away?” said the director. To Basu, Darjeeling is ‘frozen in time’. “It is one of the best destinations, especially for period films. I could have shot anywhere but I found a small window to accommodate Darjeeling in ‘Jagga Jasoos’. In the future, also, whenever I get a scope to shoot in Darjeeling, I will definitely return,” said Basu.

This time, Basu shot a concert scene with Kartik in Darjeeling where the actor takes part in a gig from the balcony of the Clock Tower of the Town Hall while his fans go wild below. The gothic clock tower, one of the most prominent landmarks of the hill town, played a key role in ‘Barfi’ too. “This time, we had a concert shot and immediately Darjeeling came to my mind. Darjeeling has been known as a mecca for music from my childhood days. Many great musicians have their roots in Darjeeling. So, what could have been a more apt location to shoot a concert scene?” smiled Basu.

The director’s connection with Darjeeling goes a long way even before the ‘Barfi’ days. “My grandmother Basuna Majumder used to live in Darjeeling and went to school at Maharani Girls High School here. Darjeeling has become congested and crowded but at the same time, the place is still mesmerizingly beautiful. I just need an excuse to return to the Queen of the Hills,” he said.

Basu has been scouting locations around this region for the past few months, having visited Darjeeling and Sikkim. He has held a number of meetings with the Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang and the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration chief Anit Thapa. Talking highly of Sikkim, the director appreciates how he didn’t have any issues getting all the necessary permissions for the shoot. “I will definitely recommend Sikkim to all my friends for their future film ventures,” Basu said.

As for Darjeeling, things do roll a bit slowly. “Things are slow, but I didn’t face any problems here. I have been here a number of times and know people here. However, people coming here on their maiden shoot venture might find it a bit difficult,” said the ‘Gangster’ director.

Kartik, surely, enjoyed shooting in the quant hill town. His social media has photographs and videos where he is seen relishing his conversations with Thai monks. People close to the director also informed that Basu feels a strong spiritual connection with Darjeeling. After wrapping up the shoot and before departing, the actor-director duo paid a visit to the Mahakala shrine, revered as the reigning deity of Darjeeling by both the Hindus and Buddhists.