Navigating the film-industry: Interview with Mr. Natarajan Ramji, Chairman and Managing Director, Travel Master’s India on what it means to be a location scout in India

ABSTRACT Film Tourism in India even though still in its nascency, is slowly being recognized by the Indian Ministry of Tourism as one of the Niche Tourism areas. Despite great potential for both economic and cultural impact, an understanding of various facets of the global tourism flows arising from Indian popular culture, and its facilitators is rather rare. Location scouts lend their expertise in discovering unique backdrops to create memorable moments onscreen; But how does it work in practice? In a one-of-its-kind interview, Apoorva Nanjangud speaks to Mr. Natarajan Ramji, CMD, Travel Masters India- one of the top location scouts in India- on topics ranging from the behind the scenes of the process of location scouting for Indian cinema, how he got the tag ‘Location guru’ and as a result thereof how destinations experience film-induced tourism.