The other day, director Mani Ratnam, cinematographer Rajiv Menon, and actor Manisha Koirala went to Bekal Fort, one of the most iconic locations used as part of their 1995 film Bombay. The visit comes a few months after the romance film turned 30. Bekal Beach Park's Instagram account shared a clip where the film's lead actor, director and cinematographer can be seen exploring the place, where they filmed the 'Uyire Uyire' song, and sharing their memories about shooting the romance drama there. They captioned the video post, "30 years later, the legends turn to where the magic happened." Calling the location "the soul of Bombay," they wrote, "Some locations don't just host stories; they become part of them."
Speaking of which, Mani Ratnam said that the "beautiful monsoon" weather and the ocean backdrop "gave the mood for the song". Rajiv Menon said, "The film lives in people's mind because of the location of Bekal." Mani Ratnam echoed Rajiv's sentiment by saying that the song, which comes at an important point in the film, "gets identified" with it.
Their visit coincided with the third season of the Bekal International Beach Festival, which is slated to take place until the last day of the year. Mani Ratnam, Manisha and Rajiv also attended the festival's inauguration function on Sunday.
Kerala's Tourism Minister PA Mohammed Riyas and MLA CH Kunhambu accompanied the film's actor, director, and cinematographer in their visit to the Kasaragod-based location. Speaking about it, Mohammed Riyas said, "No matter how old some films may be, their locations still have a place in people's hearts."
