Go on a Tour of Bollywood

Q: On a visit to Mumbai I would like to take an organised tour of Bollywood. I would particularly favour one that allows participants to visit the set of a movie being made. Is there such a tour and how much does it cost? - Benny Naidoo

A: You can book a day tour on the www.bollywoodtours.com website. For the first half of the tour you will get to visit a Bollywood studio, watch filming, be exposed to behind-the-scenes activities and see technicians at work. If possible, you may also be given a tour of a film star's make-up room and a chance to pose with some Bollywood stars. After lunch you will visit a heritage cinema hall, check the machine room and experience what a Bollywood movie looks like on a big screen. Finally, you get to drive past the homes of some of the biggest stars. The tour takes 7-8 hours and the charge for a single traveller is 135 US dollars, but the per person rate is reduced for larger parties. Another interesting tour is a half-day Bollywood tour coupled with a visit to the slums of Mumbai. This 9-hour tour costs 175 US dollars per person. (4/9/11)