Ramoji Film City

Ramoji Film City is a film studio complex and theme park on the south-eastern outskirts of Hyderabad, Telangana, opened in 1996 by the media entrepreneur Ramoji Rao. Ramoji Film City covers well over 1,500 acres and is listed by Guinness World Records as the largest film studio complex in the world, with permanent sets of streets, palaces, gardens, railway stations and even an airport terminal built to be filmed.

Productions in Telugu, Hindi, Tamil and other languages shoot at Ramoji Film City throughout the year, and parts of the Baahubali films were filmed on sets here. Alongside the working studios, the complex runs as a theme park: guided bus tours take visitors past the sets, and live stunt shows, dance performances, rides and themed gardens fill the day. Ramoji Film City also has hotels, so some families stay the night.

What to see

• The studio tour by bus, stopping at the main film sets
• The Baahubali sets, among the most popular stops
• Live stunt and dance shows scheduled through the day
• Themed gardens, including Japanese and Mughal-style gardens
• Rides and play zones for children

What to wear

Ramoji Film City is a theme park, so casual clothing is fine. You will walk a lot and spend time outdoors, so wear comfortable shoes, light cotton clothes, a hat and sunscreen, and carry an umbrella in the monsoon. There is no dress code for the shows. Around Hyderabad, you will see the sherwani at weddings and the khada dupatta and Pochampally ikat saree as traditional dress for women.

Local food to try

Ramoji Film City has its own restaurants and food courts inside, serving South Indian, North Indian and Hyderabadi dishes; outside food may be restricted, so check the current rules before you go. Back in Hyderabad, try Hyderabadi dum biryani, haleem, mirchi ka salan and double ka meetha, and Irani chai with Osmania biscuits in the old city. Vegetarian options are easy to find everywhere.

Good to know

• Best from October to February, when days are cooler
• Open daily, about 9am to 5:30pm; arrive early, as last entry is in the afternoon
• Day packages priced per person, from roughly ₹1,500 for adults; premium packages cost more
• Allow a full day
• About 30 km east of central Hyderabad on the Vijayawada highway
• Photography is allowed in most areas, but not on active shooting sets

Nearby places

In Hyderabad, Charminar in the old city and Golconda Fort to the west make a good contrast to a day of film sets. The Tirumala Venkateswara Temple in Andhra Pradesh is a longer trip of roughly 550 km.