Ramoji Film City

Ramoji Film City opened in 1996 on around sixteen hundred acres outside Hyderabad and is certified as the largest studio complex in the world by area. Its selling point to producers is completeness: sets covering airports, railway stations, temples, hospitals, village streets, gardens and European facades, plus sound stages, costume, props, post-production and accommodation, so a crew can shoot an entire film without leaving. Dozens of productions run simultaneously. For visitors it operates as a theme park, with bus tours of the sets, live stunt and dance shows, rides and gardens, and it draws large numbers of domestic tourists.

What you actually see

• The standing sets - airports, stations, streets and facades built permanently.
• The bus tour - the standard circuit of the accessible parts of the complex.
• The live shows - stunt, dance and film-making demonstrations.
• The working productions - shoots visible in progress at a distance.

When to go

October to March; the site is largely outdoors and Hyderabad summers are severe. Weekends and holidays are crowded. Overnight packages allow a fuller visit.

Honest expectations

This is a theme park experience rather than a studio tour; active shoots are usually not accessible. Ticketing is layered with many extras. Queues for shows and rides are long at weekends.

Nearby

Hyderabad lies west.