Live Like A Star: Bollywood’s Most Iconic Palace Stays In Rajasthan

What makes a mise-en-scène? The characters, the production, the silent eloquence of the backdrop—or an equal portion of all three? While the votes remain divided, we can agree on this much: certain overlooked backdrops transcend their role as mere settings—they become imperceptible protagonists, conjuring a magnificent and nostalgic ambience. These palaces, steeped in grandeur, are a nod to the rich tapestry of history, with roots interwoven into one’s cultural and regional identity. With their towering turrets, ornate frescoes, copious spaces, and sprawling courtyards, palaces have long conquered the lens of a camera. These assemblies tell tales of power, love, and intrigue—whether a royal fort in Rajasthan serves as the background for a courtesan’s Mujra dance, or an ancient Wada in Maharashtra is portrayed as a dilapidated haveli in a thriller. DP crosses the storied thresholds of India’s magnificent palaces to uncover what renders them irresistible to the filmmaker’s eye.

1. Oberoi Udaivilas In Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani (2013)

A big, fat Indian wedding demands a traditional backdrop that echoes its rich heritage. So, when Kalki Koechlin’s boisterous character Aditi in Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani (2013) finally decides to get married, The Oberoi Udaivilas is the perfect location, echoing an old-school glamour. Subsequently, on the serene banks of Lake Pichola in Udaipur, amidst the towering domes, pointed arches, exquisite jharokhas (balconies), and intricate jallis (screens) that illustrate a confluence of Rajasthani, Rajput and Islamic design styles, this property unfolds. Built on the 200-year-old hunting grounds of the Maharana of Mewar—a land that once hosted royal hunting parties—this hotel opened back in 2002.

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Designed by architects Parul Jhaveri and Nimish Patel, the hotel rekindles its regal legacy, once a host to royal gatherings, by setting the stage for the opulent Indian wedding spectacle in the film. Drawing from the Mewar style of architecture, this palace, with ghutai-finished (plaster unique to the region) hand-carved stone columns, domes, sun-drenched courtyards and balconies, all bear witness to the film’s impish and heartfelt scenes. Rooted in the region’s rich architectural past, the rooms at The Oberoi Udaivilas blend heritage with comfort through marble bathrooms, bay windows, private courtyards and semi-private infinity pools. The ‘Kohinoor Suite,’ with its grand bedrooms, fireplaces, and a pool overlooking the City Palace, sets the stage for a heartfelt tête-à-tête between the characters. While the spa and restored relics like Bada Mahal and Chhota Mahal whisper tales of the past, Suryamahal and Udaimahal take things sky-high—literally—with domes that play dress-up as day and night. Outside, a lush landscape curated by American landscape designer Bill Bensley draws inspiration from the Islamic gardens, with an ethereal labyrinth of verdure bearing witness to Aditi’s wedding rituals.

2. Hotel Narain Niwas In Paheli (2005)

For a movie recounting a Rajasthani folk tale, Narain Niwas Palace serves as an exquisitely fitting setting. In Paheli (2005)—a film rooted in ardour, fantasy, and feminism—the song, ‘Kangana Re,’ where Rani Mukherjee’s character Lachchi revels in her connubial bliss, unfolds within the storied assembly halls of Narain Niwas. In Jaipur, a city influenced by Rajput and Mughal architectural styles, where pink-hued buildings and ornate palaces rise like mirages from the desert, this heritage property is tucked away in its vibrant heart. Conceived in the late 1920s by General Amar Singh as a whimsical country escape for the Thakur of Kanota, this storied sanctuary is a confluence of Anglo-Indian charm with Rajput grandeur.

While the film’s archetypal theme is magical realism, the palace’s scalloped arches, intricately detailed jaali-work windows, and towering chhatris lining the façade set an ethereal stage. The hand-painted floral frescoes on the ceilings, antique teakwood finishes, expansive courtyards, and flamboyant palette in the interiors hint at the influence of multiple eras, serving as a stage for the film’s classic plotline. Crystal chandeliers adorning the arched corridors cast a soft glimmer on the heritage artworks leading to approximately 52 resplendent chambers, including 16 opulent suites and a collection of rooms. With traditional upholstered furniture, vintage tiled flooring and colossal French windows that open onto breezy verandahs and sun-dappled courtyards, each room offers sweeping views of clipped verdure famed by arched colonnades. Boasting lush greenery, this 10-acre property is punctuated with boutique shops featuring the outlet of Jaipur Rugs, a tranquil spa, and dining venues, like the Shikaar Bagh restaurant. Among the palace’s multifarious gastronomic venues, the iconic indigo-tinted bar Palladio—immortalised in the Netflix show ‘Mismatched’—becomes a melding point of contemporary allure and old-world grandeur, the frame feels plucked from the reel of a timeless film.

3. Neemrana Fort Palace In Dil Se… (1998)

In a movie where characters veil their true identity with a constant emotional chiaroscuro, Neemrana Fort Palace’s labyrinthine corridors and tiered architecture offer an uncanny spatial metaphor. Set against political turbulence and unrequited desire, Dil Se… (1998) unfurls as a haunting contemplation on love, loss, and longing, shifting between Shah Rukh Khan’s character Amar’s urban life and moments of retreat at his home, Neemrana Fort-Palace. Among the legion of revered temples, forts, and palaces, Neemrana Fort-Palace, conspicuously perched on the Aravalli ranges, narrates a folk tale carved into sandstone. Originally built over 550 years ago by Raja Rajdev Singh, a descendant of the king of the Chauhan dynasty, this 15th-century fort has been meticulously restored to a sanctuary of experiential hospitality.

Cascading down 14 levels with over 82 rooms and suites, this fort seamlessly melds the allure of Rajputana elements and colonial magnificence. Transformed from a dilapidated relic in 1947 to an award-winning ‘non-hotel,’ by architectural restorer Aman Nath and his visionary cohort—pioneers of India’s adaptive reuse—this palace draws inspiration from both the ubiquitous Rajasthani and Mughal architectural styles. With stepped gardens mirroring the traditional stepwells, protruding balconies, and sun-dappled amphitheatres, this property unfurls as a theatrical, beguiling maze for the movie’s characters to play their game of hide and seek. Spanning nine palace wings, connected through voluptuous stone pathways that meander through secret courtyards, pointed arches, domes, and intricately carved window screens—a quintessential element in the Rajasthani design. Punctuated with antique trinkets, Mughal-style frescoes, embroidered upholstery reminiscent of regal indulgence, epicurean infinity pools and a wellness centre rooted in Ayurveda, it inhabits stories of place, worn by time. The fort’s theatrical levels, shaded alcoves, and unexpected apertures that open onto sweeping vistas akin to the movie’s climactic moments.