Some of the locations where Barfee will be shot: The Capitol Clock Tower, Happy Valley Tea Estate and the Oxford Book and Stationery store. Pictures by Suman Tamang

Darjeeling, June 10: Bollywood is back in Darjeeling.

The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha’s deal on a new administrative set-up with the state government and the subsequent announcement that the hill problem has been “solved” has brought peace to Darjeeling, and along with it, Bollywood.

Anurag Basu will be exploring the life of a Darjeeling boy played by Ranbir Kapoor in Barfee, the shooting for which will begin on June 16. “I will be shooting Barfee in and around Darjeeling from June 16. Both Ranbir (Kapoor) and Priyanka (Chopra) will shoot in Darjeeling for a 10-day schedule,” Basu told The Telegraph in Calcutta.

Telugu actress Ileana D’Cruz will make her Bollywood debut in this film.

The last big Hindi film to be shot here was Shah Rukh Khan’s Main Hoon Na in 2003. Parineeta, starring Saif Ali Khan and Vidya Balan in 2004-05, was also shot in the hills, but not in Darjeeling town. Saif’s toy train ride was filmed in Tindharia, 70km from Darjeeling.

“Barfee is based in Darjeeling and it is about a boy from here. The shooting will be held till June-end and will again start from the last week of August to continue till mid-September. While Ranbir is expected to be present throughout the shoot, Priyanka and Ileana will come as and when they are needed,” said Uday Mani Pradhan, production co-ordinator for the movie.

Basu, known for films like Life in a Metro, will be using all aspects of the hill town in Barfee.

“Darjeeling will be extensively shot in the film. From the lanes and by-lanes to the panoramic views of the hills and the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, everything will be captured in frame,” said Pradhan. In fact, the permission for shooting in the toy train reached the team only yesterday.

The director, whose recent films include the Hrithik Roshan starrer Kites, and Murder, will be shot at the Mall, Birch Hill Road, Mayanpuri, Ghoom station, Happy Valley tea garden and at the Capitol Clock Tower and Hall.

“In fact, Darjeeling will be taken back to the 1960s and 70s (considered by many as the golden days of Darjeeling). We are converting the Capitol Hall into a cinema hall as it used to be then,” said Pradhan who is busy collecting old movie posters.

The movie is expected to showcase Darjeeling like “never before” and shooting has been even scheduled in Mirik, 10km from the hill town.

“The director visited Darjeeling thrice and was overwhelmed with its beauty. In fact, when he came here, things had not yet settled down but he never felt that shootings could not take place. He was of the opinion that things were much calmer than what was being projected to the outside world,” said Pradhan.

Not that no big films were shot after Main Hoon Na. In 2009, Hollywood came calling with The Way Back. The film starring Ed Harris had used a tea garden near Darjeeling as a location but the hills do not feature by name in the film, going by a faceless “someplace in India”.

“Darjeeling had been projected very badly in the past three years. Even during the strife period we shot seven Bengali films without any problem. Places like Kaffer and Lava along with Bijanbari have so much potential and Basu believes that Darjeeling could be the next big thing in the industry,” said Pradhan.

In the past three years, Pradhan co-ordinated the shooting of four Anjan Dutt films — Sei Gorkha Chelata, Rono and Vicky, Nine Miles and Darjeeling Darjeeling. “Kaushik Ganguly also shot Laptop, Rang Milante and The Promotion during this period,” said Pradhan.

The people of Darjeeling have another reason to be proud. Suravi Pradhan, a local girl who recently completed a course in film direction from the University of Sussex, will be part of the Barfee team.

She was also part of the directorial team in Dutt’s Chowrastha: Crossroads Of Love.