# This Rajasthani village of grand havelis hosted the shoots of two of Bollywood's biggest blockbusters

> Mandawa, a haveli-dotted village in Rajasthan's Jhunjhunu district, is where Aamir Khan's PK and Salman Khan's Bajrangi Bhaijaan, two all-time Bollywood blockbusters, were both filmed.

**Type:** article · **Category:** Entertainment · **Published:** 2026-07-16 · **Source:** TrendKia
**Canonical:** https://trendkia.com/en/entertainment/jhunjhunu-ke-isa-ganva-ki-galiyon-men-bani-thin-aamir-aura-salman-ki-do-suparahita-philmen-8201 · **Language:** English
**Tags:** Mandawa, Jhunjhunu, Shekhawati, PK movie, Bajrangi Bhaijaan, Rajasthan havelis, Bollywood shooting location

There is a village in Rajasthan where ordinary homes give way to sprawling havelis, with doors so tall and wide that roads pass right underneath the village's main entrance gate. This village has even won a Best Village award. Tucked into the Shekhawati region of Jhunjhunu district, it goes by the name Mandawa, often called the village of havelis and Rajasthan's own Film City. The reason is simple: two Bollywood films shot here went on to become all-time blockbusters.

## Why Mandawa is called the crown of Shekhawati
Mandawa is known as the crown of Shekhawati, and the village has produced several prominent businessmen over the years. According to local accounts, a Jat named Mandu was the first to settle here, which is why the settlement was originally called Mandubas. Over time, the name evolved, first to Mandua, then Mandwa, and finally to Mandawa. The village sits about 20 kilometres from Fatehpur (Shekhawati) railway station. Mandawa is also referred to as the open art gallery of Rajasthan, since its grand havelis, intricately carved walls and beautiful paintings have earned it recognition across the world. The village has around 350 havelis, most of which have now been converted into hotels and restaurants.

## 2014-15: the two years that rewrote Bollywood's box office history
The years 2014 and 2015 hold a special place in Bollywood's history. Within this two-year window, Aamir Khan's PK and Salman Khan's Bajrangi Bhaijaan were both released, and each rewrote box office records in its own right. What makes this remarkable is that both films were shot in Mandawa and in Tetra village, located barely 3 kilometres away. Both went on to become all-time blockbusters.

## PK's opening streets and the dancing car scene were filmed in Mandawa
PK released on December 19, 2014, with Aamir Khan, Sanjay Dutt and Anushka Sharma in lead roles. In the film, Sanjay Dutt played Bhairon Singh, a character who plays in a band. The village scenes built around Bhairon Singh were filmed in Tetra village, where several key portions of the film were shot. Some scenes from PK were also filmed in Mandawa village itself. The lanes seen in the film's opening sequences are actually Mandawa's streets, and the much talked about dancing car scene was filmed here as well. Made on a budget of Rs 122 crore, PK went on to earn Rs 616 crore worldwide, cementing its status as an all-time blockbuster. The film was directed by Rajkumar Hirani.

## Bajrangi Bhaijaan's Pakistan was also recreated in Mandawa
A similar coincidence played out in 2015 with Salman Khan's Bajrangi Bhaijaan. The film released on July 17, 2015, and was directed by Kabir Khan. It starred Salman Khan, Kareena Kapoor, Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Harshaali Malhotra, who played Munni, in key roles. This film too was shot across Mandawa and Tetra village. Tetra village stood in for a Pakistani police station in the film, while most of the scenes set in Pakistan were actually filmed in Mandawa. Om Puri's madrasa, the scene of a policeman dropping Nawazuddin Siddiqui's character home, and Salman Khan's character fleeing from the police, all of these well-known scenes were shot in Mandawa's lanes. Made on a budget of Rs 125 crore, Bajrangi Bhaijaan went on to collect Rs 600 crore worldwide.

## Together, the two films earned Rs 1200 crore, and their units stayed 60 days in the village
Both PK and Bajrangi Bhaijaan were shot in Mandawa and Tetra village, two settlements just 3 kilometres apart. Combined, the two films collected close to Rs 1200 crore, a striking achievement in its own right. Interestingly, the unit of each film stayed in the village for 30 days each, meaning the two film crews spent a combined 60 days in this small village.

## What this means for you
Recognition like this puts small towns such as Mandawa firmly on the film-tourism map.

- **Across India:** Knowing these iconic scenes were shot here draws film buffs and travellers from across the country, boosting heritage tourism to the region.
- **In Jhunjhunu:** Most of Mandawa's roughly 350 havelis have already been converted into hotels and restaurants, so the PK and Bajrangi Bhaijaan connection can further support local hotel businesses, guides and taxi operators.

## Questions & Answers

### 1. Which state and district is Mandawa village in?
Mandawa is located in the Shekhawati region of Jhunjhunu district in Rajasthan.

### 2. Why is Mandawa called the village of havelis?
It has around 350 havelis with intricately carved and painted walls, which is why it is called the village of havelis.

### 3. When was PK released and who starred in it?
PK released on December 19, 2014, with Aamir Khan, Sanjay Dutt and Anushka Sharma in lead roles.

### 4. Who directed Bajrangi Bhaijaan?
Bajrangi Bhaijaan was directed by Kabir Khan and released on July 17, 2015.

### 5. How much did the two films collect together?
PK and Bajrangi Bhaijaan together collected around Rs 1200 crore.

### 6. How many days did the film units stay in the village?
Each film's unit stayed in the village for 30 days, adding up to a combined 60 days.

### 7. Where were Bajrangi Bhaijaan's Pakistan scenes filmed?
Most of the Pakistan-set scenes were filmed in Mandawa village, while Tetra village stood in for the Pakistani police station.

### 8. How far apart are Mandawa and Tetra village?
Mandawa and Tetra village are about 3 kilometres apart.

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