Hollywood in India: Blockbusters and Web Series Filmed in the Centre of the Subcontinent

The world of film has been fascinated by India from the beginning. From the colour-filled streets of Mumbai to Rajasthan’s regal forts and the holy banks of the Ganges, the subcontinent presents a visual canvas unlike any other. India is no longer an exotic setting but has become an integral location for Hollywood franchises and international web series that are dictating streaming patterns across the globe. (Hollywood in India)

India on the World Cinematic Map

Indian locations have been frequented by Hollywood productions not just for their varied landscapes but also for their rich reservoir of stories, culture, and talent. High-cost films and high-profile web series are taking cues from India’s heritage, urban anarchy, and growing prominence in world affairs.

Blockbusters That Touched Indian Soil

The Dark Knight Rises (2012)

Christopher Nolan’s grand conclusion to his Batman trilogy begins in the rough, desolate Mehrangarh Fort in Jodhpur, Rajasthan. The fortress is Bruce Wayne’s eerie prison of rebuilding. The setting evokes physical toughness and emotional renewal—abilities India offers symbolically to much narrative.

Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol (2011)
Tom Cruise’s action-packed spy thriller had hectic scenes filmed in Mumbai. From driving through India’s crazy roads to high-tech office meetings in upscale hotels, the contrast between old and new becomes a thematic element in the movie.

Lion (2016)
A highly emotional movie, Lion is arguably one of the most emotional Hollywood representations of India. Drawn from real life, it is a story of a lost boy from rural India adopted by an Australian couple who uses Google Earth to trace his home village. Filmed over Kolkata and Madhya Pradesh, the movie brought out India’s emotional depth and family intensity.

Tenet (2020)
Christopher Nolan returned to India with Tenet, filming a critical sequence in Mumbai’s Grant Road and Breach Candy. The opulent scenes inside a skyscraper reflect the global financial muscle India now wields, making it a natural fit for sci-fi and espionage narratives.

Streaming Giants and Web Series in India

With the OTT boom, web series are the new cinema. And India is no longer merely the “setting”—it’s a character unto itself.

Popular Web Series Filmed in India

The White Lotus: India (Upcoming)

Following Hawaii and Italy, India is said to be the destination of The White Lotus’ next outing on HBO. Spiritual tourism, post-colonialism, and contemporary wellness culture are anticipated to be the themes that dominate in this scathing social satire.

A Suitable Boy (BBC/Netflix)
Though technically a British production, this television adaptation of Vikram Seth’s novel was shot completely in India. This period drama weaves a rich tapestry of post-independence India with opulent sets in Lucknow, Maheshwar, and Kanpur. It is a testament to recent global interest in South Asian literature and aesthetics.

Delhi Crime (Netflix)
Although produced by an Indian crew, Delhi Crime became an international hit, even winning an International Emmy. It has encouraged Western producers to consider Indian cities not only as a place to film but as actual, nuanced, contemporary spaces for gritty drama.

Sacred Games (Netflix)
Another Indian series to make waves internationally, Sacred Games established a standard for crime thrillers. With locations filmed throughout Mumbai, Pune, and even Nairobi, the show helped fuel the global noir renaissance and kickstart the same genre format elsewhere in the world.

Why India? Trending Themes Driving Location Choices

Cultural Complexity: India’s rich history of layers provides writers with the ability to probe issues of identity, faith, caste, and globalization.

Spiritual Pilgrimages: From Eat Pray Love to The White Lotus, India is a site of spiritual change, mirroring increased Western fascination with wellness and mindfulness.

Post-Colonial Tales: The international movement to revise colonial history has resulted in more complex narrative-making, and India lies at the heart of this movement.

Tech Meets Tradition: Shows such as Tenet and Made in Heaven capture India’s concurrent adoption of modernity and cultural richness.

Closing Thoughts

As storytelling becomes more sophisticated and audiences crave authenticity, India is more than a canvas now—it’s a protagonist. Whether it’s a Hollywood film trying to find grandeur or a tightly scripted web series diving into layered human narratives, India provides something no green screen can provide: raw, unbridled life.

With further productions lined up to probe the subcontinent’s complex soul, one thing is certain—India is no longer an distant stage. It’s the centre of the show.