{"id":765267,"date":"2025-11-06T09:41:03","date_gmt":"2025-11-06T09:41:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.beirut.com\/?p=765267"},"modified":"2025-11-06T09:41:07","modified_gmt":"2025-11-06T09:41:07","slug":"did-you-know-a-bollywood-movie-was-filmed-in-jeita-grotto","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beirut.com\/en\/765267\/did-you-know-a-bollywood-movie-was-filmed-in-jeita-grotto\/","title":{"rendered":"Did You Know? A Bollywood Movie Was Filmed in Jeita Grotto"},"content":{"rendered":"    <button class=\"sideconvo-button button-compact\">         <svg         xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"         width=\"64\"         height=\"64\"         viewBox=\"0 0 64 64\"         fill=\"none\">         <g clip-path=\"url(#clip0_5407_120)\">             <mask                 id=\"mask0_5407_120\"                 style=\"mask-type:luminance\"                 maskUnits=\"userSpaceOnUse\"                 x=\"0\"                 y=\"0\"                 width=\"64\"                 height=\"64\">                 <path d=\"M64 0H0V64H64V0Z\" fill=\"white\"><\/path>             <\/mask>             <g mask=\"url(#mask0_5407_120)\">                 <path                     d=\"M38.4702 26.64L38.5252 26.775C40.3652 31.435 44.0902 35.165 48.7502 37L48.8852 37.055L48.7502 37.11C44.0902 38.95 40.3602 42.675 38.5252 47.335L38.4702 47.47L38.4152 47.335C36.5752 42.675 32.8502 38.945 28.1902 37.11L28.0552 37.055L28.1902 37C32.8502 35.16 36.5802 31.435 38.4152 26.775L38.4702 26.64ZM38.4702 14.815C38.0702 14.815 37.6702 15.035 37.5002 15.475L33.7702 24.935C32.4352 28.325 29.7502 31.01 26.3602 32.345L16.9002 36.075C16.0202 36.425 16.0202 37.67 16.9002 38.02L26.3602 41.75C29.7502 43.085 32.4352 45.77 33.7702 49.16L37.5002 58.62C37.6752 59.06 38.0752 59.28 38.4702 59.28C38.8652 59.28 39.2702 59.06 39.4402 58.62L43.1702 49.16C44.5052 45.77 47.1902 43.085 50.5802 41.75L60.0402 38.02C60.9202 37.67 60.9202 36.425 60.0402 36.075L50.5802 32.345C47.1902 31.01 44.5052 28.325 43.1702 24.935L39.4402 15.475C39.2652 15.035 38.8652 14.815 38.4702 14.815ZM14.4702 29.125L11.9802 24.57C11.9452 24.505 11.8902 24.45 11.8202 24.41L7.26516 21.92C6.62516 21.57 6.62516 20.655 7.26516 20.305L11.8202 17.815C11.8852 17.78 11.9402 17.725 11.9752 17.66L14.4652 13.105C14.8152 12.465 15.7302 12.465 16.0802 13.105L18.5702 17.66C18.6052 17.725 18.6602 17.78 18.7302 17.82L23.2852 20.31C23.9252 20.66 23.9252 21.575 23.2852 21.925L18.7302 24.415C18.6652 24.45 18.6102 24.505 18.5752 24.57L16.0852 29.125C15.7352 29.765 14.8202 29.765 14.4702 29.125Z\"                     fill=\"#fff\"><\/path>                 <path                     d=\"M38.4702 26.64L38.5252 26.775C40.3652 31.435 44.0902 35.165 48.7502 37L48.8852 37.055L48.7502 37.11C44.0902 38.95 40.3602 42.675 38.5252 47.335L38.4702 47.47L38.4152 47.335C36.5752 42.675 32.8502 38.945 28.1902 37.11L28.0552 37.055L28.1902 37C32.8502 35.16 36.5802 31.435 38.4152 26.775L38.4702 26.64Z\"                     fill=\"#fff\"><\/path>                 <path                     d=\"M32 10.7351C33.6569 10.7351 35 9.39196 35 7.73511C35 6.07825 33.6569 4.73511 32 4.73511C30.3431 4.73511 29 6.07825 29 7.73511C29 9.39196 30.3431 10.7351 32 10.7351Z\"                     fill=\"#fff\"><\/path>             <\/g>         <\/g>         <defs>             <clipPath id=\"clip0_5407_120\">                 <rect width=\"64\" height=\"64\" fill=\"white\"><\/rect>             <\/clipPath>         <\/defs>     <\/svg>        <span class=\"sideconvo_button\"  data-sideconvo-message=\"I want to discover spots in nature spk\" data-sideconvo-mode=\"CHAT\" data-sideconvo-customCTATitle=\"Discover spots in nature\" data-sideconvo-customCTAPlacement=\"TITLE_TAG\">             Discover spots in nature        <\/span>         <div class=\"hoverEffect\">             <div><\/div>         <\/div>     <\/button>     <style>      <\/style>    <p>After the recent controversy surrounding a wedding held inside Jeita Grotto, which resulted in the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.beirut.com\/en\/765238\/jeita-grotto-temporarily-closed-for-inspection-following-wedding-incident\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">temporary closure<\/a> of the caves for inspection, public debate has reignited around the importance of respecting and protecting the country\u2019s natural heritage.<\/p>    <p><\/p>    <p>But few people know that this isn\u2019t the first time the fragile rock formations have been mistreated. In fact, back in 1977, the Bollywood film <em>Chandi Sona<\/em> was partly shot inside the grotto.<\/p>    <p><\/p>    <figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"633\" src=\"https:\/\/www.beirut.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Screenshot-2025-11-05-at-12.38.13-PM-1024x633.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-765170\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.beirut.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Screenshot-2025-11-05-at-12.38.13-PM-1024x633.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.beirut.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Screenshot-2025-11-05-at-12.38.13-PM-600x371.png 600w, https:\/\/www.beirut.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Screenshot-2025-11-05-at-12.38.13-PM-250x155.png 250w, https:\/\/www.beirut.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Screenshot-2025-11-05-at-12.38.13-PM-768x475.png 768w, https:\/\/www.beirut.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Screenshot-2025-11-05-at-12.38.13-PM-1536x950.png 1536w, https:\/\/www.beirut.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Screenshot-2025-11-05-at-12.38.13-PM.png 1986w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>    <div style=\"height:50px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>    <h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-vivid-cyan-blue-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-8e8e4b1017733cba2a98b04dcc2b902c\" id=\"h-jeita-grotto-the-backdrop-to-a-10-minute-dance-number\">Jeita Grotto, the Backdrop to a 10-Minute Dance Number<\/h3>    <p><\/p>    <p>The film features a nearly ten-minute dance sequence filmed deep within the grotto. The scene includes dancing, loud singing, and bright artificial lighting reflecting off the fragile stalactites, all echoing through the cave\u2019s natural chambers.<\/p>    <p><\/p>    <div style=\"display:flex;justify-content: center;align-items: center;\">   <div class=\"lozad wp-twitter-embed\" style=\"text-align: center;width:80%;max-width: 100%;\" data-twitter-src=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/booklebanon\/status\/1985687167407157734?s=46&#038;t=ZhYZMpcDhVOT0zOC46qlKA\"><\/div>  <\/div>    <p><\/p>    <p>The actors climb, touch, and literally dance on the rock formations&#8230;behavior that would be unthinkable today. It\u2019s hard not to cringe knowing the environmental damage these activities probably caused.<\/p>    <p><\/p>    <figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"640\" src=\"https:\/\/www.beirut.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Screenshot-2025-11-05-at-12.51.26-PM-1024x640.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-765176\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.beirut.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Screenshot-2025-11-05-at-12.51.26-PM-1024x640.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.beirut.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Screenshot-2025-11-05-at-12.51.26-PM-600x375.png 600w, https:\/\/www.beirut.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Screenshot-2025-11-05-at-12.51.26-PM-250x156.png 250w, https:\/\/www.beirut.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Screenshot-2025-11-05-at-12.51.26-PM-768x480.png 768w, https:\/\/www.beirut.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Screenshot-2025-11-05-at-12.51.26-PM-1536x959.png 1536w, https:\/\/www.beirut.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Screenshot-2025-11-05-at-12.51.26-PM.png 1950w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>    <div style=\"height:50px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>    <h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-vivid-cyan-blue-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-775cfb70a45b9bd7b0b506d38b08adf6\" id=\"h-irrevesible-damage-again\">Irrevesible Damage&#8230;Again<\/h3>    <p><\/p>    <p>Filming inside such a sensitive ecosystem was clearly inappropriate. Loud noise, harsh lighting, and constant movement can all disrupt the cave\u2019s humidity and temperature levels, potentially damaging formations that took millions of years to develop.<\/p>    <p><\/p>    <p>Experts have long warned that vibrations and light exposure can permanently damage the cave&#8217;s calcite structures. The scene is the perfect example of how little awareness there was (and is, lol) about environmental conservation.<\/p>    <p><\/p>    <figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"639\" src=\"https:\/\/www.beirut.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Screenshot-2025-11-05-at-12.46.41-PM-1024x639.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-765195\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.beirut.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Screenshot-2025-11-05-at-12.46.41-PM-1024x639.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.beirut.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Screenshot-2025-11-05-at-12.46.41-PM-600x374.png 600w, https:\/\/www.beirut.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Screenshot-2025-11-05-at-12.46.41-PM-250x156.png 250w, https:\/\/www.beirut.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Screenshot-2025-11-05-at-12.46.41-PM-768x479.png 768w, https:\/\/www.beirut.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Screenshot-2025-11-05-at-12.46.41-PM-1536x958.png 1536w, https:\/\/www.beirut.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Screenshot-2025-11-05-at-12.46.41-PM.png 1940w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>    <p><\/p>    <p>Lebanese engineer, artist, and sculptor Ghassan Klink discovered the upper cave of the grotto in 1958, and it officially opened to visitors in 1969.<\/p>    <p><\/p>    <p>The lower cave dates back even further. It was first explored in the 1830s by American missionary William Thomson.<\/p>    <p><\/p>    <figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"630\" src=\"https:\/\/www.beirut.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Screenshot-2025-11-05-at-12.50.05-PM-1024x630.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-765188\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.beirut.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Screenshot-2025-11-05-at-12.50.05-PM-1024x630.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.beirut.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Screenshot-2025-11-05-at-12.50.05-PM-600x369.png 600w, https:\/\/www.beirut.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Screenshot-2025-11-05-at-12.50.05-PM-250x154.png 250w, https:\/\/www.beirut.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Screenshot-2025-11-05-at-12.50.05-PM-768x473.png 768w, https:\/\/www.beirut.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Screenshot-2025-11-05-at-12.50.05-PM-1536x946.png 1536w, https:\/\/www.beirut.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Screenshot-2025-11-05-at-12.50.05-PM.png 1962w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>    <p><\/p>    <p>That means when <em>Chandi Sona<\/em> was filmed, the grotto had only been open to the public for less than a decade. This makes the decision to shoot a full-scale musical inside it even more upsetting.<\/p>    <div style=\"height:50px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>    <h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-vivid-cyan-blue-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-410b925c8c96d11c0a7cfeb06755768e\" id=\"h-what-s-this-movie-even-about\">What&#8217;s This Movie Even About?<\/h3>    <p><\/p>    <figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"269\" height=\"229\" src=\"https:\/\/www.beirut.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Chandi_Sona.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-765173\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.beirut.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Chandi_Sona.png 269w, https:\/\/www.beirut.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Chandi_Sona-250x213.png 250w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 269px) 100vw, 269px\" \/><\/figure>    <p><\/p>    <p>Sanjay Khan directed and produced the Hindi adventure film <em>Chandi Sona<\/em>, released in 1977. The story follows a group of treasure hunters searching for gold and jewels buried beneath the tomb of Shahenshah Chandi Sona.<\/p>    <p><\/p>    <p>Their quest leads them to dig tunnels and explore mysterious underwater caverns. The scenes filmed in Jeita Grotto represent the depths of those tunnels.<\/p>    <p><\/p>    <figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"639\" src=\"https:\/\/www.beirut.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Screenshot-2025-11-05-at-12.42.24-PM-1024x639.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-765179\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.beirut.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Screenshot-2025-11-05-at-12.42.24-PM-1024x639.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.beirut.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Screenshot-2025-11-05-at-12.42.24-PM-600x374.png 600w, https:\/\/www.beirut.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Screenshot-2025-11-05-at-12.42.24-PM-250x156.png 250w, https:\/\/www.beirut.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Screenshot-2025-11-05-at-12.42.24-PM-768x479.png 768w, https:\/\/www.beirut.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Screenshot-2025-11-05-at-12.42.24-PM-1536x958.png 1536w, https:\/\/www.beirut.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Screenshot-2025-11-05-at-12.42.24-PM.png 1952w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>    <p><\/p>    <p>The film currently holds a 5.9\/10 rating, which, honestly, feels generous given what it put the caves through.<\/p>    <p><\/p>    <figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"639\" src=\"https:\/\/www.beirut.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Screenshot-2025-11-05-at-12.49.00-PM-1024x639.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-765192\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.beirut.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Screenshot-2025-11-05-at-12.49.00-PM-1024x639.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.beirut.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Screenshot-2025-11-05-at-12.49.00-PM-600x374.png 600w, https:\/\/www.beirut.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Screenshot-2025-11-05-at-12.49.00-PM-250x156.png 250w, https:\/\/www.beirut.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Screenshot-2025-11-05-at-12.49.00-PM-768x479.png 768w, https:\/\/www.beirut.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Screenshot-2025-11-05-at-12.49.00-PM-1536x958.png 1536w, https:\/\/www.beirut.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Screenshot-2025-11-05-at-12.49.00-PM.png 1956w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>    <div style=\"height:50px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>    <h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-vivid-cyan-blue-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-31f92835fd01195bad1ae60b8224ab2d\" id=\"h-let-s-give-jeita-grotto-a-break-please\">Let&#8217;s Give Jeita Grotto a Break&#8230;Please<\/h3>    <p><\/p>    <p>Today, the <em>Chandi Sona<\/em> sequence serves as a reminder of how fragile Lebanon\u2019s natural heritage truly is. Decades ago, environmental awareness and regulations were not as strict, but now, there\u2019s no excuse.<\/p>    <p><\/p>    <p>The grotto should never be treated as a movie set&#8230;or a wedding venue. Preserving it for future generations is the only way to honor this natural wonder.<\/p>    <div style=\"height:50px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>      <div style=\"height:50px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>         <div style=\"width: 100%;\" class=\"mobile products-container-two-product swiper products-embed-container\">   <div class=\"swiper-wrapper\">        <a class=\"swiper-slide\" href=\"https:\/\/www.beirut.com\/en\/product\/made-in-beirut-tee\/\" aria-label=\"&quot;Made in Beirut&quot; Tee\" style=\"min-width: 66% !important;height:auto !important;\">      <div style=\"min-width: 90% !important;\" class=\"single-product-two-product\">       <div class=\"product-image-two-product lazy-load\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.beirut.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Image_20240606_151551_715-328x600.jpeg\">       <\/div>       <div class=\"product-content-two-product\">        <h2 style=\"height: 45px;\">&#8220;Made in Beirut&#8221; Tee<\/h2>        <p>High quality t-shirt that is available in either round neck loose fit made of 100% cotton with short sleeves, or fitted cropped with a round neck and short sleeves (95% cotton,5% elastane). <\/p>        <div class=\"price-container-two-product\">         Starting At <span class=\"woocommerce-Price-amount amount\"><bdi><span class=\"woocommerce-Price-currencySymbol\">&#36;<\/span>25<\/bdi><\/span>       <\/div>       <\/div>      <\/div>     <\/a>         <a class=\"swiper-slide\" href=\"https:\/\/www.beirut.com\/en\/product\/%d8%ad%d8%a8%d9%8a%d8%a8%d9%8a-groove-tee\/\" aria-label=\"\u062d\u0628\u064a\u0628\u064a Groove Tee\" style=\"min-width: 66% !important;height:auto !important;\">      <div style=\"min-width: 90% !important;\" class=\"single-product-two-product\">       <div class=\"product-image-two-product lazy-load\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.beirut.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/PHOTO-2024-05-17-15-22-13-2-600x400.jpg\">       <\/div>       <div class=\"product-content-two-product\">        <h2 style=\"height: 45px;\">\u062d\u0628\u064a\u0628\u064a Groove Tee<\/h2>        <p>High quality t-shirt that is available in either round neck loose fit made of 100% cotton with short sleeves, or fitted cropped with a round neck and short sleeves (95% cotton,5% elastane). <\/p>        <div class=\"price-container-two-product\">         Starting At <span class=\"woocommerce-Price-amount amount\"><bdi><span class=\"woocommerce-Price-currencySymbol\">&#36;<\/span>25<\/bdi><\/span>       <\/div>       <\/div>      <\/div>     <\/a>       <\/div>   <div class=\"swiper-pagination\"><\/div>   <div class=\"swiper-button-prev\"><\/div>   <div class=\"swiper-button-next\"><\/div>  <\/div>   <div style=\"width: 100%;\" class=\"desktop products-container-two-product products-embed-container\">      <a style=\"min-width: calc(25% - 1.5rem); width:calc(25% - 1.5rem);\" href=\"https:\/\/www.beirut.com\/en\/product\/made-in-beirut-tee\/\" aria-label=\"&quot;Made in Beirut&quot; Tee\">     <div style=\"min-width: 100% !important;\" class=\"single-product-two-product\">      <div class=\"product-image-two-product lazy-load\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.beirut.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Image_20240606_151551_715-328x600.jpeg\">      <\/div>      <div class=\"product-content-two-product\">       <h2>&#8220;Made in Beirut&#8221; Tee<\/h2>       <p>High quality t-shirt that is available in either round neck loose fit made of 100% cotton with short sleeves, or fitted cropped with a round neck and short sleeves (95% cotton,5% elastane). <\/p>       <div class=\"price-container-two-product\">        Starting At <span class=\"woocommerce-Price-amount amount\"><bdi><span class=\"woocommerce-Price-currencySymbol\">&#36;<\/span>25<\/bdi><\/span>      <\/div>      <\/div>     <\/div>    <\/a>       <a style=\"min-width: calc(25% - 1.5rem); width:calc(25% - 1.5rem);\" href=\"https:\/\/www.beirut.com\/en\/product\/%d8%ad%d8%a8%d9%8a%d8%a8%d9%8a-groove-tee\/\" aria-label=\"\u062d\u0628\u064a\u0628\u064a Groove Tee\">     <div style=\"min-width: 100% !important;\" class=\"single-product-two-product\">      <div class=\"product-image-two-product lazy-load\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.beirut.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/PHOTO-2024-05-17-15-22-13-2-600x400.jpg\">      <\/div>      <div class=\"product-content-two-product\">       <h2>\u062d\u0628\u064a\u0628\u064a Groove Tee<\/h2>       <p>High quality t-shirt that is available in either round neck loose fit made of 100% cotton with short sleeves, or fitted cropped with a round neck and short sleeves (95% cotton,5% elastane). <\/p>       <div class=\"price-container-two-product\">        Starting At <span class=\"woocommerce-Price-amount amount\"><bdi><span class=\"woocommerce-Price-currencySymbol\">&#36;<\/span>25<\/bdi><\/span>      <\/div>      <\/div>     <\/div>    <\/a>       <\/div>   ","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>After the recent controversy surrounding a wedding held inside Jeita Grotto, which resulted in the temporary closure of the caves for inspection, public debate has reignited around the importance of respecting and protecting the country\u2019s natural heritage. But few people know that this isn\u2019t the first time the fragile rock formations have been mistreated. In [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":113,"featured_media":765205,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_preview_accessed":0,"footnotes":""},"tags":[2212],"media-embed-type":[],"class_list":["post-765267","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog","tag-didyouknow"],"authorship":[121],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.3 (Yoast SEO v27.3) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Did You Know? A Bollywood Movie Was Filmed in Jeita Grotto &#187; Beirut.com<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Few people know that back in 1977, the Bollywood film Chandi Sona was partly shot inside the grotto. Here&#039;s what happened.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.beirut.com\/en\/765267\/did-you-know-a-bollywood-movie-was-filmed-in-jeita-grotto\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Did You Know? A Bollywood Movie Was Filmed in Jeita Grotto\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Few people know that back in 1977, the Bollywood film Chandi Sona was partly shot inside the grotto. Here&#039;s what happened.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.beirut.com\/en\/765267\/did-you-know-a-bollywood-movie-was-filmed-in-jeita-grotto\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Beirut.com\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/beirutcityguide\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-11-06T09:41:03+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-11-06T09:41:07+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.beirut.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/MixCollage-05-Nov-2025-01-56-PM-6336.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"2560\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1441\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Taleen El Gharib\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@beirutcityguide\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@beirutcityguide\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Taleen El Gharib\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.beirut.com\\\/en\\\/765267\\\/did-you-know-a-bollywood-movie-was-filmed-in-jeita-grotto\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.beirut.com\\\/en\\\/765267\\\/did-you-know-a-bollywood-movie-was-filmed-in-jeita-grotto\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Taleen El Gharib\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.beirut.com\\\/ar\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/998828f4428be1a686c6c9e94be1708e\"},\"headline\":\"Did You Know? A Bollywood Movie Was Filmed in Jeita Grotto\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-11-06T09:41:03+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-11-06T09:41:07+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.beirut.com\\\/en\\\/765267\\\/did-you-know-a-bollywood-movie-was-filmed-in-jeita-grotto\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":459,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.beirut.com\\\/ar\\\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.beirut.com\\\/en\\\/765267\\\/did-you-know-a-bollywood-movie-was-filmed-in-jeita-grotto\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.beirut.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/11\\\/MixCollage-05-Nov-2025-01-56-PM-6336.jpg\",\"keywords\":[\"Did You Know?\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Blog\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.beirut.com\\\/en\\\/765267\\\/did-you-know-a-bollywood-movie-was-filmed-in-jeita-grotto\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.beirut.com\\\/en\\\/765267\\\/did-you-know-a-bollywood-movie-was-filmed-in-jeita-grotto\\\/\",\"name\":\"Did You Know? A Bollywood Movie Was Filmed in Jeita Grotto &#187; Beirut.com\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.beirut.com\\\/ar\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.beirut.com\\\/en\\\/765267\\\/did-you-know-a-bollywood-movie-was-filmed-in-jeita-grotto\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.beirut.com\\\/en\\\/765267\\\/did-you-know-a-bollywood-movie-was-filmed-in-jeita-grotto\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.beirut.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/11\\\/MixCollage-05-Nov-2025-01-56-PM-6336.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-11-06T09:41:03+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-11-06T09:41:07+00:00\",\"description\":\"Few people know that back in 1977, the Bollywood film Chandi Sona was partly shot inside the grotto. Here's what happened.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.beirut.com\\\/en\\\/765267\\\/did-you-know-a-bollywood-movie-was-filmed-in-jeita-grotto\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.beirut.com\\\/en\\\/765267\\\/did-you-know-a-bollywood-movie-was-filmed-in-jeita-grotto\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.beirut.com\\\/en\\\/765267\\\/did-you-know-a-bollywood-movie-was-filmed-in-jeita-grotto\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.beirut.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/11\\\/MixCollage-05-Nov-2025-01-56-PM-6336.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.beirut.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/11\\\/MixCollage-05-Nov-2025-01-56-PM-6336.jpg\",\"width\":2560,\"height\":1441,\"caption\":\"\u0628\u062a\u0639\u0631\u0641\u0648\u0627 \u0625\u0646\u0648 \u0641\u064a \u0641\u064a\u0644\u0645 \u0647\u0646\u062f\u064a \u062a\u0635\u0648\u0631 \u0628\u0645\u063a\u0627\u0631\u0629 \u062c\u0639\u064a\u062a\u0627\u061f\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.beirut.com\\\/en\\\/765267\\\/did-you-know-a-bollywood-movie-was-filmed-in-jeita-grotto\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.beirut.com\\\/ar\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Did You Know? A Bollywood Movie Was Filmed in Jeita Grotto\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.beirut.com\\\/ar\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.beirut.com\\\/ar\\\/\",\"name\":\"Beirut.com\",\"description\":\"Beirut.com is your insider guide to Lebanon, with the best in food, culture, neighborhoods, and everything new. Discover where to go and fall in love with our country.\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.beirut.com\\\/ar\\\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.beirut.com\\\/ar\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.beirut.com\\\/ar\\\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Beirut.com, SA\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.beirut.com\\\/ar\\\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.beirut.com\\\/ar\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.beirut.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2023\\\/04\\\/Beirut.com-Logo-scaled.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.beirut.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2023\\\/04\\\/Beirut.com-Logo-scaled.jpg\",\"width\":2560,\"height\":1044,\"caption\":\"Beirut.com, SA\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.beirut.com\\\/ar\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.facebook.com\\\/beirutcityguide\",\"https:\\\/\\\/x.com\\\/beirutcityguide\"]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.beirut.com\\\/ar\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/998828f4428be1a686c6c9e94be1708e\",\"name\":\"Taleen El Gharib\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/2455b455f35782791bce1381cc1430f969be839a432c6c9643633a4cdca377d5?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/2455b455f35782791bce1381cc1430f969be839a432c6c9643633a4cdca377d5?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/2455b455f35782791bce1381cc1430f969be839a432c6c9643633a4cdca377d5?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Taleen El Gharib\"},\"description\":\"A raging feminist and activist, Taleen is a passionate writer who wants to make the world a better place, one blog post at a time. Apart from her obsession with puppies, anime, and Hemingway, she is on a mission to find out what it truly means to be Lebanese.\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.beirut.com\\\/en\\\/author\\\/taleen_el_gharib\\\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Did You Know? A Bollywood Movie Was Filmed in Jeita Grotto &#187; Beirut.com","description":"Few people know that back in 1977, the Bollywood film Chandi Sona was partly shot inside the grotto. Here's what happened.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.beirut.com\/en\/765267\/did-you-know-a-bollywood-movie-was-filmed-in-jeita-grotto\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Did You Know? A Bollywood Movie Was Filmed in Jeita Grotto","og_description":"Few people know that back in 1977, the Bollywood film Chandi Sona was partly shot inside the grotto. Here's what happened.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.beirut.com\/en\/765267\/did-you-know-a-bollywood-movie-was-filmed-in-jeita-grotto\/","og_site_name":"Beirut.com","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/beirutcityguide","article_published_time":"2025-11-06T09:41:03+00:00","article_modified_time":"2025-11-06T09:41:07+00:00","og_image":[{"width":2560,"height":1441,"url":"https:\/\/www.beirut.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/MixCollage-05-Nov-2025-01-56-PM-6336.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Taleen El Gharib","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@beirutcityguide","twitter_site":"@beirutcityguide","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Taleen El Gharib","Est. reading time":"4 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/www.beirut.com\/en\/765267\/did-you-know-a-bollywood-movie-was-filmed-in-jeita-grotto\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.beirut.com\/en\/765267\/did-you-know-a-bollywood-movie-was-filmed-in-jeita-grotto\/"},"author":{"name":"Taleen El Gharib","@id":"https:\/\/www.beirut.com\/ar\/#\/schema\/person\/998828f4428be1a686c6c9e94be1708e"},"headline":"Did You Know? A Bollywood Movie Was Filmed in Jeita Grotto","datePublished":"2025-11-06T09:41:03+00:00","dateModified":"2025-11-06T09:41:07+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.beirut.com\/en\/765267\/did-you-know-a-bollywood-movie-was-filmed-in-jeita-grotto\/"},"wordCount":459,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.beirut.com\/ar\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.beirut.com\/en\/765267\/did-you-know-a-bollywood-movie-was-filmed-in-jeita-grotto\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.beirut.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/MixCollage-05-Nov-2025-01-56-PM-6336.jpg","keywords":["Did You Know?"],"articleSection":["Blog"],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.beirut.com\/en\/765267\/did-you-know-a-bollywood-movie-was-filmed-in-jeita-grotto\/","url":"https:\/\/www.beirut.com\/en\/765267\/did-you-know-a-bollywood-movie-was-filmed-in-jeita-grotto\/","name":"Did You Know? A Bollywood Movie Was Filmed in Jeita Grotto &#187; Beirut.com","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.beirut.com\/ar\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.beirut.com\/en\/765267\/did-you-know-a-bollywood-movie-was-filmed-in-jeita-grotto\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.beirut.com\/en\/765267\/did-you-know-a-bollywood-movie-was-filmed-in-jeita-grotto\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.beirut.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/MixCollage-05-Nov-2025-01-56-PM-6336.jpg","datePublished":"2025-11-06T09:41:03+00:00","dateModified":"2025-11-06T09:41:07+00:00","description":"Few people know that back in 1977, the Bollywood film Chandi Sona was partly shot inside the grotto. Here's what happened.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.beirut.com\/en\/765267\/did-you-know-a-bollywood-movie-was-filmed-in-jeita-grotto\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.beirut.com\/en\/765267\/did-you-know-a-bollywood-movie-was-filmed-in-jeita-grotto\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.beirut.com\/en\/765267\/did-you-know-a-bollywood-movie-was-filmed-in-jeita-grotto\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/www.beirut.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/MixCollage-05-Nov-2025-01-56-PM-6336.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.beirut.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/MixCollage-05-Nov-2025-01-56-PM-6336.jpg","width":2560,"height":1441,"caption":"\u0628\u062a\u0639\u0631\u0641\u0648\u0627 \u0625\u0646\u0648 \u0641\u064a \u0641\u064a\u0644\u0645 \u0647\u0646\u062f\u064a \u062a\u0635\u0648\u0631 \u0628\u0645\u063a\u0627\u0631\u0629 \u062c\u0639\u064a\u062a\u0627\u061f"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.beirut.com\/en\/765267\/did-you-know-a-bollywood-movie-was-filmed-in-jeita-grotto\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.beirut.com\/ar\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Did You Know? A Bollywood Movie Was Filmed in Jeita Grotto"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.beirut.com\/ar\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.beirut.com\/ar\/","name":"Beirut.com","description":"Beirut.com is your insider guide to Lebanon, with the best in food, culture, neighborhoods, and everything new. Discover where to go and fall in love with our country.","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.beirut.com\/ar\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.beirut.com\/ar\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.beirut.com\/ar\/#organization","name":"Beirut.com, SA","url":"https:\/\/www.beirut.com\/ar\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.beirut.com\/ar\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/www.beirut.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/Beirut.com-Logo-scaled.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.beirut.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/Beirut.com-Logo-scaled.jpg","width":2560,"height":1044,"caption":"Beirut.com, SA"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.beirut.com\/ar\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/beirutcityguide","https:\/\/x.com\/beirutcityguide"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.beirut.com\/ar\/#\/schema\/person\/998828f4428be1a686c6c9e94be1708e","name":"Taleen El Gharib","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/2455b455f35782791bce1381cc1430f969be839a432c6c9643633a4cdca377d5?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/2455b455f35782791bce1381cc1430f969be839a432c6c9643633a4cdca377d5?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/2455b455f35782791bce1381cc1430f969be839a432c6c9643633a4cdca377d5?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Taleen El Gharib"},"description":"A raging feminist and activist, Taleen is a passionate writer who wants to make the world a better place, one blog post at a time. Apart from her obsession with puppies, anime, and Hemingway, she is on a mission to find out what it truly means to be Lebanese.","url":"https:\/\/www.beirut.com\/en\/author\/taleen_el_gharib\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beirut.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/765267","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beirut.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beirut.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beirut.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/113"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beirut.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=765267"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.beirut.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/765267\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":765282,"href":"https:\/\/www.beirut.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/765267\/revisions\/765282"}],"wp:authorship":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beirut.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/121"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beirut.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/765205"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beirut.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=765267"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beirut.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=765267"},{"taxonomy":"media-embed-type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beirut.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media-embed-type?post=765267"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}