Julia Roberts' next stop is Cherrapunji

The actress has been shooting the spiritual part of the movie in a Ashram Hari Mandir here, about 60kms from the national capital. And the next stop in her shooting schedule is Cherrapunji, which experiences year long monsoon.

"The director wants to shoot the rains in Cherrapunji, so the crew will be heading there after the shooting sums up in Pataudi," a unit source said. The 41-year-old actress has till now shot mainly in the Ashram and the Pataudi Palace.
Roberts recently shot a scene where she is shown entering the Ashram in a taxi and a market place atmosphere was created outside the Ashram.

The Oscar-award winning actress also made a visit to Mirzapur, 5 kms from here to shoot a scene which attracted hoards of villagers to the site. "She went day before yesterday to shoot at Mirzapur and people from all the surrounding villages poured in huge numbers to see the shooting. They are now planning to go there again to shoot in a 'Bajre ka Khet' and they will also be shooting at the Patudi Railway station and the Ram Mandir," says Manoj, a resident of Pataudi village.

The actress has also performed 'puja' and cooked in a 'langar' as part of a scene in the movie. Roberts is in India till the first week of October and plans to mix work with pleasure by touring different places. She has already shot the first part of the movie in Italy, the spiritual part of the film is being shot in India while the third and final part will be filmed in Indonesia, where Roberts' character finally finds love.

Produced by Brad Pitt's company, the film is being directed by Ryan Murphy and also stars Oscar-winner Javier Bardem, Richard Jenkins and Billy Crudup. The film is based on the memoir of Elizabeth Gilbert, who visited different parts of the world in search of love and meaning. Her India visit features prominently in the book and the film.

The 25-acre Ashram, where the film is being shot, boasts of a Sanskrit Mahavidyalaya, hostels for boys and girls, a hospital and a old-age home but it has been turned into a virtual fortress to keep away the paparazzi. The Ashrama is only 100 yards away from the Pataudi Palace hotel, where the actress is staying with her three children and the cast and crew of the movie.

Roberts has not stepped outside to wander in the village but is enjoying her stay at the Pataudi Palace. "She has not gone outside but enjoys walks in the lawns of the palace," a hotel source said.