A Complete Guide to Visiting Mumbai for Bollywood Fans

Bollywood movies are a huge deal in India and around the world, and Mumbai is the centre of all the star-studded action. Dubbed “Bollywood” and the “City of Dreams,” Mumbai is the birthplace of Indian cinema, and it’s home to some of the most famous actors, producers, and film studios in the country. The industry is so big that over one thousand Hindi-language Bollywood films are produced in Mumbai each year.

Bollywood and Mumbai go hand in hand. Whether you’re a superfan or not, you’d be missing out if you didn’t partake in as many of the city’s Bollywood attractions and activities as possible. Take a tour of famous Bollywood film sets in Film City, see the homes of the rich and famous in the “Beverly Hills of Mumbai,” visit the sites where classic scenes were shot on Marine Drive, or get rowdy at a new Bollywood release in one of Mumbai’s oldest movie theatres.

It's nearly impossible not to get swept up in Bollywood-mania when visiting Mumbai. If this is your first time in the city and you’re not sure where to start, this guide to the best Bollywood attractions and activities has got you covered.

Film City is a sprawling 520-acre studio complex located in Goregaon East, Mumbai. Countless movies, TV shows, music videos, and web series have been produced at Film City’s studios, making it a huge tourist destination for anyone eager to immerse themselves in the world of Bollywood.

While the complex is not open to the public, you can sign up for a guided tour to get a behind-the-scenes look at everything that goes into Bollywood's most popular productions. Whether you're a die-hard Bollywood fan or a complete novice, taking a studio tour of Film City is easily one of the best things to do in Mumbai.

Tours range from quick visits to full-day affairs. Depending on which tour package you choose, you can visit film sets, watch live actors on the set of a real TV show, learn to dance like a professional Bollywood dancer, record your own Bollywood song in a studio, and so much more.

Some of the most popular companies that offer guided tours of Film City include Bollywood Park, Bollywood Tours, and Magical Mumbai Tours. You can also find loads of tour options on websites like Viator and Get Your Guide.

Visiting Bollywood Park is another essential activity in Mumbai for Bollywood enthusiasts. This theme park is located inside Film City, giving visitors exclusive access to the magic of Bollywood. Expect sensory overload, but in the best of ways.

There are a lot of activities to keep you entertained for days on end. Wander around film sets, see elaborate live dance shows, check out Bollywood costumes and paraphernalia, snap selfies with the stars (or at least their lookalikes), get dressed up in a Bollywood costume, watch a 7D movie, and so much more.

Bollywood’s most glamorous stars tend to live in either the Bandra or Juhu neighbourhoods. It’s very common for fans to gather outside of celebrity homes hoping to catch a glimpse of them. It's possible to take a self-guided tour of the city's celebrity homes, or you can always sign up for one of the many tours that will take you past the lavish estates of Bollywood's most famous stars.

Bandra is the easiest place to do a self-guided tour of Mumbai’s celebrity homes. Explore the oceanfront Bandra Bandstand area and you can spot Shah Rukh Khan's six-story Mannat bungalow, as well as Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh's luxury apartment in Beaumonde Towers and Salman Khan's luxury home in Galaxy Apartments.
 

Over in Bandra West is where you'll find John Abraham's ocean-facing "Villa in the Sky." After that, make your way to Bandra's posh Pali Hill neighbourhood, where you can see Janhvi Kapoor's palatial home in the Kubelisque Building and Ranbir Kapoor and Alia Bhatt's six-story residence, Krishna Raj Bungalow.

If you're in town on a Sunday, be sure to visit Amitabh Bachchan's home in Juhu, the “Beverly Hills of Mumbai.” He has a tradition of greeting fans every Sunday evening, so expect large crowds to be waiting outside of the star's lavish two-story bungalow.

One of the things that makes Mumbai unique is that you can walk down the street and see a movie or TV show being filmed. Some of the most popular film locations in the city include landmarks like the Gateway of India, Colaba Causeway, Marine Drive, Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus train station, Juhu Beach, and Dhobi Ghat, Mumbai’s cinematic open-air laundry area.

Even if you don't bump into a film crew, all of these attractions are must-visits for Bollywood fans.

Much like the Hollywood Walk of Fame in Los Angeles, Mumbai has its very own Walk of the Stars. This famous Mumbai attraction stretches for two kilometres along the sea-facing Bandstand Promenade in Mumbai's star-studded Bandra neighbourhood.

You'll find around 100 brass placards featuring the names and handprints of Bollywood's most celebrated stars. Stroll down the entire Walk of the Stars and you can pose with six different life-size brass sculptures of actors, including Raj Kapoor, Dev Anand, and Rajesh Khanna, which you'll find sitting on benches.

If you really want to get into Mumbai's Bollywood spirit, see what's playing at the G7 (aka Gaiety-Galaxy) multiplex. This old-world theatre in Bandra dates back to 1972 and has seven screens dubbed Gaiety, Galaxy, Gemini, Gossip, Gem, Grace, and Glamour. This place may be a bit dated and run-down, but that's all part of its vintage charm.

This spot has long been a favourite of Bollywood fans who flock here whenever there is a highly anticipated release. But unlike a typical movie-watching experience, you can expect fans to hoot and holler at the screen and even dance in the aisles. Seeing a Bollywood film here is a true cultural experience.

Don't forget to order a box of the theatre’s famous popcorn and a few samosas before you head inside.

Another movie-watching option is to see a Bollywood movie at the iconic Regal Cinemas. Located in Colaba Causeway, this Art Deco gem was built in 1933. Not only is this one of the oldest movie theatres in Mumbai but it was the very first air-conditioned movie theatre in India.

You’ll want to check their calendar because new Bollywood films often premiere here. They also regularly screen classic Bollywood movies. This place is a favourite of Bollywood fanatics and seeing a film in this classic single-screen theatre is a little bit like going back in time to the Golden Age of Indian cinema.

Yes, you can absolutely visit a Bollywood film set in Mumbai by signing up for a guided Bollywood tour through companies like Bollywood Park, SJ Studios, or No Footprints.

There are numerous options to book a Bollywood studio tour in Mumbai. The most popular way to book a tour of Film City is through the Bollywood Park website. Other options include booking one of the designated Bollywood tours through the Bollywood Tours, Magical Mumbai Tours, SJ Studios, and No Footprints.

You can see Bollywood celebrities in the ritzy Bandra and Juhu neighbourhoods. Although seeing Bollywood celebrities isn’t always guaranteed, they are known to frequent places like Olive Bar & Kitchen, Soho House, and Juhu Beach.

The best way to experience Bollywood as a tourist is to take a tour of Film City Mumbai to get a behind-the-scenes look at the production process and to see real-life Bollywood stars in action. Seeing a Bollywood film with the famously rowdy crowds at the G7 (Gaiety-Galaxy) theatre will also offer an unforgettable Bollywood experience.

Yes, you can visit Film City in Mumbai. While Film City is not open to the public, you can easily sign up for one of the many guided tours that allow visitors to see where all the magic happens. Popular tour companies include Bollywood Park, Bollywood Tours, and Magical Mumbai Tours.

Mumbai is commonly referred to as "Bollywood" because it is a major hub of Bollywood TV and film production and home to many Bollywood celebrities. Most Bollywood studios are located within Film City, a 520-acre film studio complex located in Goregaon East, Mumbai.