Rancho’s cafe. Did it ring a bell?
Yes, we are talking about Ranchoddas Shamaldas Chanchad aka Idiot No 1 acted by Aamir Khan in 3 Idiots. The iconic Bollywood movie.
Are you still wondering what is the connection? Using a popular film in kindling tourists interests is not new. We have “Guna caves” in Kodaikanal or “Madhuri falls” in Tawang! We found locals in Ladakh trying to cash in on the popularity of the movie and Rancho, the anchor of the movie who belongs to the region.
Druk White Lotus School. The school which was featured in the climax scene of 3 Idiots. It is situated in Shey town, a few kilometres ahead of Leh. The boarding school is now popularly known as ‘Rancho’s school’, named after the lead character of the movie played by actor Aamir Khan.
The school authorities were also quick to cash in on the popularity of the film. They started Rancho’s Cafe, besides charging a fee from tourists for visiting the sprawling campus. The school employees act as guides, take people around and show the spots where the movie was shot. The most-sought-after location inside the campus is the place where the famous peeing scene was shot in the climax!
Coming to cafe itself, it is simple. An ambience which is laid back, typical Ladakhi. You don’t come here to enjoy the food. It is to take back a piece of memory of a visit to place we loved seeing in the movie.
We were there in August last year. When you visit Leh next time make a visit to the school and relive your 3 Idiots nostalgia!
Have you been to Rancho’s cafe? What has been your experience? Please let us know.
With Ladakh season starting, we encourage you to browse many interesting posts on the region here.
Ladakh – Magnificent Cold desert in Himalayas!
Please Share
Did you like this post? Did you find it interesting? If yes, please share it with your friends by clicking the buttons on the side bar. Our endeavour is to share experiences. Thanks for your help in this endeavour.
We love to hear from you. May we request you to take few moments to pen your feedback here? Thanks
[contact-form][contact-field label=’Name’ type=’name’ required=’1’/][contact-field label=’Email’ type=’email’ required=’1’/][contact-field label=’Website’ type=’url’/][contact-field label=’Comment’ type=’textarea’ required=’1’/][/contact-form]
