
Sushant Singh Rajput and Bhumi Pednerkar’s Sone Chidaiya goes on floor in Chambal. The film is directed by Abhishek Chaubey. The film is set in 1970s, in the Chambal belt, famous for its dreaded dacoits.
Films shot in Chambal
While not many filmmakers have ventured in this area to film, there are some brave-hearts who are keen to capture the unique landscape of this region.
The Chambal Ravines are a rocky terrain located near the Vindhya Range of mountains in Madhya Pradesh, bordering on Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh in India. Chambal Ravines has deep and narrow gorges, at some places covered by thick growth of greenery and at other places the loose topsoil eroded by rain and ravages of wind and harsh weather. The name Chambal Ravines is derived from the River Chambal, a tributary of River Yamuna.
While not many filmmakers have ventured in this area to film, there are some brave-hearts who are keen to capture the unique landscape of this region.
Paan Singh Tomar (starring Irrfan Khan) was shot in Chambal. The movie is about a young, army athlete who won the Steeplechase event at the Indian National Games for seven years in a row before becoming a dreaded dacoit who wreaked havoc in the Chambal Valley.
Chambal: Valley of Fear
Chambal is known for its dacoits. Dreaded dacoits such as Phoolan Devi, Lokman Dikshit, Man Singh & fakkad Baba ruled Chambal and the neighboring areas during their hey-days. This area used to be a safe haven for dacoits for many decades till the mid eighties. These dacoits enjoyed the support of the local villagers as the gangs would rob the rich and give away a part of the loot to the poor people. Statistics show how, even after several decades of Independence, the outlaws or baghis continued to rule the Chambal ravines and the forests nearby. At one time, there were close to hundred gun shops and thousands of licensed gun-owners in Bhind, so Chambal was rightfully called the Valley of Fear.
However, things are quite different today, and its safe for visitors to visit, as any other place in Madhya Pradesh.