Pics by Rons Bantwal
Mumbai, Jul 1: Mushy scenes and gorgeous scenery for backdrops; wasn’t all that the I Hate Luv Storys gang were after while shooting in Queenstown, New Zealand. The adventure capital of the world kept them just as busy with all the adrenaline-pumping activities like skydiving and jetboating; as did Queenstown’s pristine and sublime scenery. A romantic comedy, I Hate Luv Storys is this year’s most anticipated release featuring Sonam Kapoor and Imran Khan for the first time together on screen!
Known to be adrenaline junkies, Sonam and Imran’s dare-devil acts in Queenstown, New Zealand began with free-falling thousands of feet at an awesome adrenalin pumping 200 kilometers/h with the Nzone Skydive. Located amidst the most breathtaking scenery in the world, their flight to altitude took them high above the alpine town, over crystal clear lakes and snow-capped mountains, making their skydiving experience all the more worth it.
No visit to Queenstown remains complete without experiencing the award winning Shotover Jet boat ride. And our IHLS stars were leaving no stone unturned when it came to extreme sports. The Shotover Jet boat ride, while speeding in mere centimeters of water, whipped past rocky outcrops, skims around crags and boulders, and twisted through the narrow canyons at breath taking speeds that gave Sonam and Imran goose bumps and an adrenalin rush that was unforgettable!
“Right since childhood, I have been fascinated with the open skies. And so skydiving in Queenstown, New Zealand was truly an experience out of my dreams. It was simply so fabulous! From an altitude of 15,000 feet, I was excited at the sight of the surrounding clouds and mountain peaks; from up there it all looked truly amazing! I was euphoric! I’ve travelled the world but I’d never been to New Zealand before. Everybody said you have to go to New Zealand for the sheer beauty of this country. Queenstown is the most breathtaking place I’ve been to in my life. The landscape is spectacular and very diverse,” gushes Sonam Kapoor.
Actor Imran Khan says, “Queenstown really is one of the most beautiful places that I have been to. Absolutely, everywhere you go, the place is sparklingly clean, the wildlife nature is just completely untouched and it’s really nice to see that people care that much about their country. After filming continuously for a little over 2 weeks, we had two off days to try out some tourism activities. I’m a bit of a speed freak, so the jet boat ride felt amazing. Though it’s one of the coolest things I have ever done, the highlight for me has been skydiving. This is something that I have always wanted to do all my life!”
Besides the hectic schedule that the cast and crew had in Queenstown, almost everyday was a party, says Director Punit Malhotra. “Before arriving in New Zealand for the filming of I Hate Luv Storys and choosing Queenstown as the final location, I scouted for locations around the country and got my chance to experience it first hand. We visited Mount Cook, Christchurch, Auckland and Queenstown. During the process, I saw glaciers, something that I had never seen before! My Mount Cook experience was mind blowing, as I saw the sky changing colours from blue to orange, it was spectacular! I also sky dove and am tempted to go bungying- I’ve done my fair share and I am definitely coming back to New Zealand!”
Besides Sky diving and Jet-boating, Imran and Sonam along with the rest of the cast and crew of IHLS, were tempted to take a trip on the Dart River Safari. No surprises that they wanted to go for a second round of the fun-filled trail.
And here’s where the entire team of IHLS ventures to be forthright bold: Home to the world's first and most famous of leaps, the Bunjy jump at the Kawarau Bridge may have sent chills down their spines but from 43m above the Kawarau River and with 3-4 sec seconds of falling, it gave every member of the IHLS cast and crew, friends and partners included, a breathtaking ground rush like no other.