Nothing is impossible in the showbiz and dreamy world of Bollywood. Over the years with its charismatic work, the Bollywood film fraternity has managed to walk parallel with the saying larger than life. While most of the movies produced in the industry manage to impress the audience by depicting the characters of our dream and its exotic plotline, some movies win the box-office game with their grand and ravishing theme. These picture-perfect backdrops, that make a number of scenes worth remembering, come at a hefty price tag. The cinematography and the luxurious set where a movie is shot, definitely make a huge difference. And that is the reason why producers agree to invest in big expensive movie sets. Here is the list of the top 10 most movie sets in Bollywood that costed more than a whole movie:
1. Padmaavat (₹215 Crores): When it comes to setting up lavishing and exotic movie setups, director Sanjay Leela Bhansali has always managed to stand out. Starring Shahid Kapoor, Deepika Padukone, and Ranveer Singh in lead, Padmaavat is one of the most expensive Hindi movies. As per reports, the makers spent approximately ₹215 crores on the set of this movie.
2. Saawariya (₹40 Crores): There is no hesitation in saying that Sanjay Leela Bhansali and lavishing movie sets surely have some kind of connection. The movie marking the debut of Ranbir Kapoor and Sonam Kapoor may fail to fulfill our expectations but is still fresh in our minds. As per reports, the movie set cost ₹40 crores and 250 people worked on it for 25 days to finish it.
3. Bombay Velvet (₹26 Crores): The movie is still counted as one of the most expensive flops of Bollywood movie history. To create the vintage look of Mumbai in the 60s, the whole movie was shot in Sri Lanka. As per reports, the director spent a whopping ₹26 crores on the lavish sets of the movie.
4. Devdas (₹20 Crores): Another Sanjay Leela Bhansali movie another ravishing and expensive set. Based on Sharad Chandra Chattopadhyay's novel of the same name, Devdas was one of the costliest with sets costing ₹20 crores. In fact, ₹12 crores were spent on Chandramukhi’s brothel alone.
5. Kalank (₹15 Crores): Kalank is one of our favorite modern-day movies and the reason behind that was its classic vintage look. As per reports, makers spent ₹15 crores on just the sets of the movie, excluding the cost of all the special effects.
6. Bharat (₹15 Crores): Based on the South Korean movie Ode To My Father, the movie was the fourth biggest opener in the nation’s history. As per reports, the cost of the larger-than-life sets of this movie was around ₹15 crores.
7. Prem Ratan Dhan Payo (₹13 - ₹15 Crores): There is no denying the fact that Bollywood superstar Salman Khan leaves no stone unturned to make his movie a true marvel. To make this movie a cult classic the film was shot at various forts and palaces. Reportedly, the cost of the opulent sets of this movie was between ₹13-15 crores.
8. Jodha Akbar (₹12 Crores): Featuring Hrithik Roshan and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, this epic historical drama is directed by Ashutosh Gowariker. With massive sets constructed in Karjat, the movie had some majestic backdrops. As per reports, the director spent ₹12 crores on the sets of the movie.
9. Mughal-E-Azam (₹15 Lakh): 15 lakh may sound like a small number today but it was a pretty big amount during the time Mughal-E-Azam was released. This cinematic masterpiece not only had iconic songs and dialogues but also had some really gorgeous sets. As per reports, the sheesh mahal alone cost ₹15 lakhs during that time.
10. Bajirao Mastani (₹145 crores): According to Architecture Digest, around 8-9 years of research went into building the 23 massive sets. A considerable amount of the film’s total budget - Rs 145 crore - was spent on the sets and the actors' costumes.
