Switzerland Salutes Veteran Indian Director Yash Chopra

Hello My Allys,

I’m back this week with another #BeingAllycaralFridayFeature 👒 This week, I thought of sharing with you a memory of Switzerland. A Place which instantly brings  a smile on our faces. It is true, many of us might have not been to Switzerland or some of us have gone there. But I am sure, each of us atleast once in our lifetime visited Switzerland through movies. Switzerland is a home to many hollywood movies to name a few would be Angels and the demons (2009), Star Wars episode III : Revenge of the Sith (2005), Golden Eye (1995) and also Bollywood movies like Dhoom 3 (2013), Jab Tak Hai Jaan (2012)  The most famous movie of our times, Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (1995).

So more or less looking at these and many of the innumerable movies which we have seen shot in Switzerland, we definately have an idea of how Switzerland actually looks. Keeping the same vision in mind, when I first traveled to Switzerland, I had the notion I would land on a road covered with ice but well, that wasn’t the story. I landed on a normal grey road!!!

My holiday was in planned in August so to actually get the snowfall during the time I was there was difficult. The season of winter was almost over, but none the less thankfully some places are always covered with snow throughout the year. So that didn’t disappoint me.

The place is world famous for two major things one is swiss chocolates & second swiss watches. While, I was going through sightseeing sights in Switzerland, I came across this place called Interlaken, a beautiful place situated right below a hill. As I was exploring this place, I came across a familiar fountain. And well, this wasn’t an ordinary fountain, this was the famous fountain which was seen in the iconic, Yash Chopra’s Movie of Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (DDLJ). This spot is fondly referred to as the DDLJ spot. It was here that the characters of Raj (Played by Mr. Shahrukh Khan) was seen proposing his lady love Simran (Played by Mrs. Kajol) with a rose which she accepted and all what happened was the water from the rose spilled on her face.

While exploring this area on foot, next I came across a Life Size Statue of Veteran Film Director, Late Yash Chopra. Yes, indeed it was a very proud moment to see a statue of an Indian on a foreign land, so much loved and respected for. After Interacting with officials in the place, I got to learn that the statue was installed by the Swiss Tourism board in the year 2006, to acknowledge the Veteran Director, Late Yash Chopra’s contribution towards single-handily boosting popularity of Switzerland among the Indian Tourist – Indeed, Boosting Swiss Tourism as a whole.

HOW TO GET THERE?

It is simple, You get a car drop up to a single point then you have to explore the place on foot. The place is called the Kurssaal Garden in the central Swiss town of Interlaken.

DID YOU KNOW?

• The Statue is 350 Kg and is a replica of the one in Chopra’s film Studio in Mumbai.
• The Statue was installed in the year 2006.
• The same was unveiled by his wife, Pamela Chopra and daughter in law – actress Rani Mukerji.
• This is one of it’s kind statue in Switzerland in the open space dedicated to a film director who boosted Swiss Tourism.

TIP OF THE DAY:

• If you plan to visit Switzerland to experience Snowfall visit it in between December to April.
• Don’t forget to wear comfortable walking shoes as the same is explored best by foot.

#BEINGALLYCARAL With Yash Chopra Statue at Interlaken, Switzerland