MONSOON TRAILS & MOVIE MEMORIES

A SOUTHERN SOJOURN WITH HONDA

- Words By: Sohil Nikam

Driving through South India's greatest movie locations

Some journeys leave you spellbound not just by the beauty of the road, but by how vividly they echo stories you've seen and heard before. This year, Honda's 13th edition of the Drive to Discover tour was one such expedition for me. You see, the only time I had ever been to these two states was way back in 2013. Since then, among many other things, I have discovered a deep love for Malayalam and Tamil cinema. Having witnessed the fishing villages, the unending rubber plantations, and lush forests on many a Southern movie watch, this atmospheric monsoon trail through Kerala and Tamil Nadu blurred the line between cinema and reality. It was like stepping into the frame of a movie I'd watched years ago. Except this time, I was behind the wheels of splendid Honda machines.

CRUISING TO ATHIRAPPILLY

The trip kicked off as we landed in Kochi, a city that's always buzzing with cultural depth. Our ride for the day was the Honda Elevate, a crossover that's steadily carving out its own identity. It didn't take long before the cityscape gave way to greener pastures. As we headed towards Angamaly, a quick visual cue transported me straight into the gritty, chaotic universe of the 2017 blockbuster, Angamaly Diaries. There's a pulse to that town that no script can write. It can only be felt as you glide through its narrow lanes and noisy junctions.