Road trip Movies to Rekindle The Travel Bug in You

Movies are a complicated collision of literature, theater, music, and all visual arts. Its very existence appeals to the auditory and visual sense and tugs at the strings of our deepest emotions. In this parallel universe of cinema, we identify and start relating to one or all of the characters being portrayed. For many decades Bollywood has fueled our senses and helped us escape the harsh and brutal realities of life.

With the onset of the 21^st Century where everyone lives by the mantra of Go | Fly | Roam | Travel | Voyage | Explore | Journey | Discover | Adventure | Repeat in no particular order, road trip movies (all with very deep meanings hidden in each one of them) have played a pivotal role. As they say, “Cinema is the most beautiful fraud in the world”. The “creative” people make it insanely real for the “aam janta!”.

In the recent past, the Bollywood Industry has seen a shift in gears and has developed a soft spot for road trip movies. The picturesque locations and out of the box experiences fills up our senses and surely open the doors to “La La Land”. They yank our conscience and inspire us to go hit the roads and make those memories. After all it never hurt anyone to be inspired by some great movies, eh?

Here’s a list of Bollywood movies that will surely rekindle the travel bug in you:

1. Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara

Remember the scene where Hrithik Roshan emerges from the ocean after the dive. The look on his face was unfathomable. That is the kind of emotion that experiences instill in you.

The movie took us for a fancy ride through Spain: the picturesque roads and infused the thrill of extreme adventure sports – Scuba-diving, Sky-diving, super crazy Tomatina festival, and the ever daunting bull race.

Life is not to be lived like we have been tied to a leash. All our adult life we model our behavior to check the societal box. But sometimes, just sometimes, it is okay to breathe and let things take their own natural course. To travel is liberating and usually, it is just the dose needed to heal that aching soul and heart. This film is surely our number one choice to rekindle the travel bug in you.

2. Yeh Jawani Hai Deewani

“Main udna chahta hoon, daudna chahta hoon, girna bhi chahta hoon , bus rukna nahi chahta”, the ever famous dialogue of Bunny aka Ranbir Kapoor makes it second in our list of road trip movies.

The movie made us believe that life is after all just a kaleidoscope of dreams. To have the courage to chase them and fulfill them is what makes life worth living. The movie showcased some of the best vacation destinations like Manali and Udaipur in India and parts of Europe. It made us believe that friendship, family, love and heartbreaks & success and failure are truly that the most important aspects in life, and how the journeys you take with them define the journey of your life.

3. Tamasha

Sometimes one trip is all it takes to find our true passion in life. What better movie than Tamasha to justify the notion and make it third on our list of road trip films.

The movie most definitely taught us the difference between existing and living. A trip to the picture perfect Corsica changed the meaning of life for these protagonists. Sometimes materialistic possessions and ‘the perfect job’ just create an illusion of happiness. Real happiness comes when we follow our heart and pursue it with full fervor and passion.

4. Highway

The entire film made us feel like the passenger on the window seat of a vehicle that has the permit to travel the whole of India.  The movie takes us for a ride in a life altering journey and is filled with experiences and unexpected turn of events. From the urban lanes of Gurgaon to the rustic vibes of Rajasthan, to the ever alluring Himachal Pradesh landing us in the mystic Jammu and Kashmir.

The plot revolves around an elite bride-to-be, who is kidnapped and undergoes a dramatic journey with them. The scenic beauty throughout the movie is incomparable. From the “girl who perfectly humors the societal norms and etiquette”, she goes on to discover herself and stand for herself. This movie is definitely a must watch and makes it fourth in our list of road trip movies that will rekindle the travel-bug in you.

5. Queen

The movie is about an everyday Delhi girl who eventually overcomes the trauma of being dumped on her wedding day. She goes ahead to discover the true meaning of ‘the light that shines within each one of us’. The blend of super hilarious scenes with the romantic Paris in the background soon delve into rich human emotions.

The movie portrays her journey from being a highly-dependent girl to a happy go lucky girl who likes to live life on her own terms. This movie surely finds a spot on our list of road trip movies to both rekindle the travel-bug and fire within you.

6. Piku

Next on the list of road trip movies is the movie Piku. The movie circles around the love and relationship of a daughter and father. The movies has us in splits as it brilliantly showcases an Indian dysfunctional family. But as the movie progresses, we begin to peel the layers and understand the depth of the emotion.

Apart from surreal views from Delhi to Kolkata, the movie equally appeals to our emotional side. It makes us realize that our parents need extra time and attention as they grow older. They are the ones who taught us everything in life right from the very basics. Now when the tides have turned, it is our duty to hold their hand as they held ours and guide them.

7. Jab We Met

The quirky Kareen Kapoor Khan sets the mood of the movie right from the beginning when she un-apologetically is “apni favorite”. We are in for a visual treat right from the beginning as the movie takes us through the lanes of Punjab, Simla, Manali, Ladhak and other nearby areas.

“Light can be found in the darkest of moments only if we look for it”. Trying to flush out every kind of negativity in life is supremely important. Similarly, forgetting and forgiving is important too as none of us are perfect.  The movie etched on us that we should be there for that ‘someone special’ who was there for us, even when the whole world was against. This movie is sure to make the travel-bug bite you and even inspire you to become your own favorite.

8. Karwaan

Life is a journey, filled with unexpected miracles, hurdles, and detours. Karwaan is just the right flavor of that. The film starts with a bumpy ride by taking multiple detours. The lead stars are from different backgrounds with an equally diverse outlook towards life but strike a common chord; their unexplored relationships with their parents.

The movie not only portrays the changing landscapes from Bengaluru to Kochi but also the diverse cultural and societal gaps between these people. What is “cool” for one generation is beyond comprehension for the other. The movie taught us how to be non-judgmental. It showed us that it is sometimes important to understand that every person has their own perspective. It is okay to not be able to comprehend why they did, what they did. This epic journey of a trio surely makes it to our list of road trip films for the travel-bug in you.

9. Dilwale Dulhani Le Jayenge

Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge is the icing on the cake on our list of road trip movies. The movie took us for a journey across England, the fairyland of Europe and Punjab. What better makes the day than Swiss alpine backdrops and the pair of SRK and Kajol on the screen.

We live in a society which tags people based on their outer appearances and attitude towards life. The spoilt brat ‘Raj’ and ‘seedhi-saadhi Simran’, go forward to break all stereotypes. Their love for each other stands the test of time. They fall in love while gallivanting across Europe, apprehending their love in the elegant London and finally find each other in the rustic and bold Punjab. The movie truly conveys the feeling of “never letting go” of the one you truly love.

10. Dil Chahta Hai

What better way to conclude this list with the finest and first road trip movie of this genre. This movie from the early 2000’s had set travel goals for people of all age groups.  Even today the millennial critically appraise the movies as a cult movie. The first half of the plot essentially revolved around three “chuddy-buddies” taking a road trip to Goa and having the time of their lives. The second half of the movie has been shot in picturesque Australia and we can’t seem to get enough of it.

On first look, the movie may seem to be just about the fun three boys have in Goa but the movie is so much more than that. This movie sees the transition people go through in their lives. Friendships and relations changing as life progresses. The only people who remain constant are the one’s truly close to your heart. They are the ones that define us.

Hope this carefully curated list of road trip movies will inspire the globe-trotter in you. May it instill the confidence, light, and the love & support we each need in our lives at different points of time. If you need help with planning a trip to any of these places, feel free to reach out to us on Twitter/Facebook/Instagram. We will surely help you with all we can and take you #AageSeRight.