Page 61 - Travel + Leisure India & South Asia (January 2020)

the first time with a group of
friends—to a small village near
Sintra. Similarly, before I was to
start shooting Rockstar, I
visited Kashmir with family. I
had originally planned Heer’s
wedding shoot in Rajasthan.
But after going to Kashmir,
I realised that I had the unique
opportunity of showing the
wedding in Kashmir, so I made
Heer a Kashmiri girl. I changed
the storyline so that Kashmir
could come into the frame,
and I’m very glad I did it.

Destinations on your
bucket list?
I want to go to Samarkand,
Tashkent, and Bukhara in
Uzbekistan. I also want to
explore different parts of
Turkey, because I’ve been to
just Istanbul and Cappadocia.
Apart from these, I feel a
certain calling from the desert.
An interesting desert that
FROM TOP: B.O’KANE/ALAMY; ANDREA PISTOLESI/GETTYIMAGES
I’ve seen apart from Rajasthan
is Wadi Rum in Jordan. I also
want to travel from Northern
Africa to Andalusia.

What are your favourite
destinations? and I remember being very but I opt for freewheeling;
Kashmir, Jerusalem, Czech fascinated by the vastness Samarkand is on top of sometimes I end up seeing so
Republic, and Russia. of the ocean. Ali’s travel wishlist. much in just one day, and at
times, I see nothing for many
Jab Harry Met Sejal was
Do you remember your How do you like to spend shot in those cities of days. Sometimes, I end up
first holiday? your time on tour? Portugal that Ali had going to the same cafe every
I don’t really remember it, but I don’t really refer to any guide earlier visited. day, and that’s just the end of it.
my parents have told me about or itinerary. I like to stay as
it. I was a baby, and we had unplanned as possible. Of Any memorable impromptu
gone to Gopalpur in Odisha. course, there’s always holiday?
My family has a house there, something to do on my list, Many of my travels have been
impromptu. Back in the day,
WHAT ARE THE my family used to go only on
FIVE THINGS YOU NEVER spontaneous trips. When we
TRAVEL WITHOUT?
first went to Kashmir, I was in
A journal, a pen, my the ninth grade and my father
passport (of course), had taken us there without
good walking shoes, and any reservations. Many years
some Darjeeling tea. later, I did the same with my
daughter in Scotland. We were
in London, and we just went to
Scotland without any bookings
whatsoever. We hired a car,
drove around, and discovered
new places.

Any particular book that you
love re-reading while travelling?
I like re-reading A Farewell to
Arms by Ernest Hemingway.

Your favourite movie?
It’s a Russian film called
Prisoner of the Mountains.

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