Kerala tourism to promote scenic locations of hit films with director Mani Ratnam's help

Thiruvananthapuram: In an innovative initiative to boost its tourism sector, the Kerala government is planning to popularise various scenic locations in the state that were featured in hit movies and has sought the help of noted filmmaker Mani Ratnam in this endeavour.

Details of the initiative were announced by the Kerala Tourism Department in a release in which it said that Mani Ratnam has extended his support to the government's 'Cinema Tourism Project'.

The idea behind the project is to showcase prime locations, in different parts of the state, which were featured in popular movies to attract tourists, the release said.

During a meeting with State Tourism Minister P A Mohamed Riyas, Mani Ratnam promised to endorse locations that left a deep impression in people's mind after getting featured in box office hits, it said.

The project would be launched as part of a show to be held at the Bekal Fort in Kasaragod district, where exciting scenes of his film ‘Bombay' were shot, the release said. Besides the award-winning director, the actors of the movie are also expected to attend the programme to rev up the project, it said.

Through the Cinema Tourism initiative, Kerala aims to attract tourists to the nostalgic locations that were closely identified with films, the release said. Mani Ratnam, known for hits like 'Roja', 'Bombay' and 'Dil Se', appreciated the pioneering project during his discussion with Riyas, it said.

Kerala's scenic landscape had been the locations for a number of his films, especially for song sequences. Riyas said the support and presence of Mani Ratnam will be a big boost to Cinema Tourism, the release said. (PTI)