Director Sooraj R Barjatya's new blockbuster Uunchai, starring Amitabh Bachchan, is set on the way to Everest Base Camp in Nepal. Is this a trend that we will see more of in the future?

Nepal has long been a place for pilgrimages, and the beauty and spiritualism of the landscape cannot be denied. Its photographic charm has long appealed to professional and amateur photographers alike, so it was a natural step to take this to the big screen.

Hollywood is no stranger (pun unintended) to Nepal, with the hugely successful Dr. Strange starring Sherlock Homes, aka Benedict Cumberbatch, as Dr. Strange. The shooting for this movie restricted itself to some of the heritage sites in Kathmandu, including Pashupatinath Temple, but why not go one step further into the wilderness?

That is exactly what Uunchai did. The story's heroes embark on fulfilling a friend's dream to reach Everest Base Camp, and the tale shows us the harsh reality and beauty of the Everest Region.

Big Names

It is certainly not the first time big names in Bollywood have visited Nepal. Shah Rukh Khan caused quite a stir when he went on a promotional tour, as did Aamir Khan, who went as part of a UNICEF-initiated program. The list of Bollywood names who have visited Nepal for promotion, performing, or shooting is long, including Akshay Kumar and Arshad Warsi. Indian musicians are also frequent visitors to the country, ranging from classical performers to Bollywood's Ash King. Award-winning chef Vineet Bhatia was the first chef to bring fine dining to Everest Base Camp. Although now based in London, Chef Bhatia took the arduous journey to base camp to promote Indian cuisine. "I didn't realize it would be so taxing," he told us, "just walking from 'kitchen' to table, a matter of meters, made me pant with exhaustion.". This perhaps gives us insight into the strength and stamina required at such high altitudes.

There have been documentaries filmed in Nepal for decades. From wildlife and ethnic culture to the ancient wonders of the temples and shrines. This autumn, Bear Grylls, British adventurer and presenter best known for his series 'Man vs. Wild', made his way into the Nepali wilderness. We await the results of his adventures.

With this kind of pedigree, we can expect more Bollywood and Hollywood films to be shot in the Everest Region.

Attracting Adventurers

With all this attention, particularly in the Indian market, the tourism industry in Nepal is hopeful that more visitors, especially trekkers, will make their way over. We understand that there are many different treks throughout the country, but most visitors are excited to visit Mount Everest. Within the Everest Region itself, there are several different treks to suit different people. Uunchai shows us that the trek to Everest Base Camp is not easy. As shown in the film, a good deal of preparation should be undertaken before heading off. Our friends in the trekking industry tell us the best approach is to take it slowly. Many of the injuries we hear of come about because people are moving too fast at the high altitude or are just plain gung-ho.

Permission

For those in the film industry, permission must be obtained from the Government of Nepal for any kind of shooting and the use of drones. But for serious filmmakers, this is not a major hurdle. It is also sensible and recommended to be in touch with experienced local Nepali partners, of which there is a good number.