"It made me long to go back to Barcelona."
When Bollywood dance sequences take place in beautiful locations, it can make the iconography all the more enticing.
Fans love seeing their favourite stars dance in a romantic or energetic breeze against the backdrop of oceans or mountains.
These alluring locations add charm, brashness, and colour to the dances.
Fans can therefore find themselves transported to different places around the world with a movie ticket rather than a plane ticket.
Listing some of these, DESIblitz showcases 10 Bollywood dance sequences in alluring locations.
O Mehbooba – Sangam (1964)
Raj Kapoor’s Sangam was one of the first Hindi films ever to be shot out of India.
The showman transports his viewers to foreign places, giving them a taste of what wonders lie beyond Indian borders.
In ‘O Mehbooba’, Sundar Khanna (Raj Kapoor) romances Radha Mehra (Vyjayanthimala).
He prances around in a boat in the sea, swinging his hips and clapping his hands.
Sundar then pulls Radha into his boat and they embrace lovingly.
Vyjayanthimala opines: “What was great about Sangam was that it was done with great finesse.”
Sangam not only has a charming story, but also the fact that the dance sequences happen in beautiful places contributes to its success.
Tu Mere Saamne – Darr (1993)
This bold number from Darr presents a sterling Juhi Chawla as you’ve never seen her before.
In the film, Juhi plays Kiran Malhotra – a married woman who is terrified by her obsessive stalker Rahul Mehra (Shah Rukh Khan).
‘Tu Mere Saamne’ is one of several Yash Chopra dances to take place in Switzerland.
The number is a vision Rahul experiences of him and Kiran dancing romantically.
Clad in luscious sarees and salwar-kameez, Juhi performs the steps with energy and elegance.
In the arms of a romance aficionado like SRK, the song has one of the best Bollywood dance sequences.
Zara Sa Jhoom Loon Main – Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (1995)
Many Bollywood buffs regard Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge as one of the greatest films of Indian cinema.
It stars Shah Rukh Khan as Raj Malhotra and Kajol as Simran Singh.
The pair meet on a journey in Europe.
However, this dance sequence was filmed specifically in Switzerland.
In ‘Zara Sa Jhoom Loon Main’, a drunk Simran runs around and dances with a bemused Raj.
Kajol was initially hesitant about performing the song:
“I was like, ‘This is not gonna work. I don’t believe this myself’.
“Because I’m a complete teetotaller. I don’t know what it’s like to get drunk.
“But fortunately for me, [that scene] turned out okay. It’s not as bad as I thought it was.”
The scene is comedic to watch and a highlight of the film.
Suraj Hua Maddham – Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham (2001)
Continuing with the evergreen onscreen pair of Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol, we come to this gorgeous song in the pyramids of Egypt.
In ‘Suraj Hua Maddham,’ Rahul Raichand (SRK) and Anjali Sharma (Kajol) lose themselves in their newly found intimacy.
The routine includes Rahul emerging from the water and burying his face in Anjali’s neck.
Due to the lighting conditions of the location, the crew of the film could only shoot the song between 7 am and 9 am.
As a result, the song took a significant amount of time to film.
Regardless of that, the final result captivates the senses of the audience.
It is one of the sexiest Bollywood dance sequences.
Senorita – Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara (2011)
Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara is one of the most enduring feel-good movies of Indian cinema.
This entertaining dance song showcases Arjun Saluja (Hrithik Roshan), Kabir Dewan (Abhay Deol), and Imraan Qureshi (Farhan Akhtar).
The three friends are in Spain on a bachelor trip for Kabir.
In ‘Senorita’, they dance with a Spanish dancer (Concha Montero).
The routine contains shots of the bustling streets with civilians dancing together.
Vanessa Barnes from BollySpice comments:
“This is a thoroughly Spanish track, from the guitars, the hand-clapping, the exuberance, and the passion.
“It made me long to go back to Barcelona because I can taste it.”
For ‘Senorita’, Bosco-Caesar won the 2011 National Film Award for ‘Best Choreography’.
Tumhi Ho Bandhu – Cocktail (2012)
This upbeat dance from Cocktail features a beach party in South Africa.
A set was constructed especially for the song at Maiden’s Cove Beach in Cape Town.
The routine includes Gautam ‘Gutlu’ Kapoor (Saif Ali Khan).
The gleaming leading ladies Veronica Melaney (Deepika Padukone) and Meera Sahni (Diana Penty) also groove along.
Hand movement and bodily closeness adorn ‘Tumhi Ho Bandhu’.
The song is arguably the most popular number from Cocktail.
Its picturisation helped the movie to become the classic it is.
Meherbaan – Bang Bang (2014)
Through this melodious number, viewers can visit the alluring island of Santorini in Greece.
Hrithik Roshan and Katrina Kaif are known for their good looks as well as their acting chops.
They make a gorgeous onscreen couple.
In Bang Bang, Hrithik and Katrina play Rajveer Nanda/Jai Nanda and Harleen Sahni respectively.
The routine is gentle with the characters swaying in the embrace of each other.
India TV News highlights the chemistry between them:
“The sizzling chemistry between the duo is what makes the song all the way more catchy and captivating.
“‘Meherbaan’ will craft its own path to our heart.”
With the alluring location and the great chemistry, it certainly achieves that.
Matargashti – Tamasha (2015)
When one thinks about pretty islands in France, Corsica may not be at the top of everyone’s list.
This underrated gem of a place glistens in ‘Matargashti’.
The song from Imtiaz Ali’s Tamasha shows Ved Vardhan Sahni (Ranbir Kapoor).
He dances along with the beautiful Tara Maheshwari (Deepika Padukone).
As the pair perform fast and complex footwork across bridges and balconies, crowds clap along and cheer them.
Choreographer Bosco Martis says of the song:
“We wanted to keep it a little naughty. It’s very playful like a child would dance.”
Imtiaz adds: “At the end of the four days of shoot, people were crying.
“We realised we are not going to have this again.”
The excitement and enjoyment is certainly palpable in Matargashti.
Ghungroo – War (2019)
Siddharth Anand’s War is an adrenaline-powered rush of visuals, action, and dance.
This chartbuster happens on the enchanting Italian coast of Amalfi.
It depicts Major Kabir Dhaliwal (Hrithik Roshan) and Naina Sahani (Vaani Kapoor) gliding across beaches and dancing among infectious performers.
Such a routine is hardly a challenge for a dancer of Hrithik’s calibre, and the actor proves his dancing ability yet again.
Vaani is also sumptuous and daring, as she gives Hrithik a run for his money.
Talking about a particular step, Vaani explains: “That one step gave me a lot of stress and anxiety.
“People think I am a dancer and I have had some training in dancing. I don’t!”
Vaani certainly excels in the song which continues to be one of the most popular Bollywood dance sequences.
Besharam Rang – Pathaan (2023)
Continuing with the glorious work of Siddharth Anand, we arrive at the Yash Raj extravaganza Pathaan.
This song encompasses radiant Spanish coasts including the beaches of Mallorca, Cadiz, and Jerez.
‘Besharam Rang’ features a resplendently sexy Dr Rubina ‘Rubai’ Mohsin (Deepika Padukone).
Dressed in a bikini, she dances with the RAW agent Pathaan (Shah Rukh Khan).
Deepika masters the intricate choreography with ease and eroticism.
Choreographer Vaibhavi Merchant says: “The song is very languid.
“This song was about nuances, about style, about sensuality and relaxed in your body.”
Deepika and SRK accurately convey this sensuality which correlates well to the beautiful location.
Alluring locations can be the bulbs that light up Bollywood dance sequences.
All these songs feature picturesque places that captivate and please the audience.
As a result, they leave cinemas enchanted by the breathtaking visuals.
So, as we enjoy the pinnacles of summer, prepare to be enamoured by these beautiful places within these Bollywood dance sequences.
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