Craving a trip to Paris and Amsterdam, but your near-empty wallet is telling you otherwise? Head to your nearest Bollywood movie store instead and pick up a copy of Queen. This new travel-based Bollywood film starring Kangana Ranaut beautifully captures the nuance and experience of solo travel so much, you’ll feel you’ve experienced the journey yourself.

Queen, a humorous and passionate film, features actress Kangana Ranaut in the title role as Rani, a naïve Delhi girl whose fiancé breaks off their marriage two days before the wedding. Heartbroken, she decides she still wants to go on her honeymoon to Paris and Amsterdam, alone. Here begins her journey of self-discovery abroad.

I finally watched (and absolutely adored) this film because it felt relatable in many ways.

Here’s my top 10 list of golden travel moments from the movie:

1) The Post-Break Up Trip

A bruised heart is a very common reason for people to pack their bags and travel far away. Rani is no different as she takes off to Paris and Amsterdam after her break up. Sometimes, all it takes are new surroundings to mend a broken heart.

2) Getting Lost in a New City

Best part of travel…getting lost and discovering new cities, no matter how daunting the map looks.

3) Staying in Co-Ed Hostels With Strangers

…and not telling your desi parents. Rani had a taste of staying in a hostel in Amsterdam with three random boys. I had a taste of staying in cramped quarters, sharing bunk beds and bathrooms with 4-6 new strangers in Spain. Sometimes the roomies are normal…and sometimes, not so much.

4) Experiencing a New City with New Friends

Well, those strangers at the hostel quickly become new friends and those friendships last a lifetime.

5) Having to Say Good-Bye

Saying good-bye to friends as quickly as you meet them is one of the hardest things to do. Rani bids goodbye to Vijaylaxmi (played by Lisa Haydon) in Paris and stands up for her new friends in Amsterdam before saying goodbye to them. Good thing for her (and me) – we’ve managed to stay in touch with those travel friends through Facebook.

6) Letting Loose in a Foreign Nightclub

Abroad no one knows you. You can let loose and feel the freedom. Dance as no one is watching. Rani cuts loose and rocks out to Hungama after a few drinks in a Parisian night club…one of the best dance numbers in the movie. Just like Rani, I went footloose abroad, dancing my heart out in Lagos, Portugal.

7) Feeling Lonely

If you travel alone without any familiar friends with you, it’s easy to feel bouts of loneliness at times and Rani is no different in the movie. Sometimes, it’s those tough moments that eventually make you the strongest.

8) The Unreal, I’m in Awe, Magical Experience Abroad

Ah, the magic of travel. The moments that take your breath away. The times you feel alive and in the moment. I have experienced this feeling time after time on trips. Rani felt it in Paris while looking up at the Eiffel tower with Vijaylaxmi. I’ve felt it while sleeping under the Saharan Desert stars in Morocco, visiting the Blue Mosque at night in Istanbul and stepping into the city lights in Tokyo.

9) Feeling Free & Independent

If you’re used to travelling with family or childhood friends (or having a younger brother as a chaperone like Rani had in Delhi), challenge yourself to discover new perspectives. As a solo traveller, you’ll feel the freedom and independence of being on your own.

10) Coming Home from a Solo Trip & Feeling So Boss

You went. You conquered. You overcame your fears, emotions and heartbreak. And you’re better for it. There’s something about a solo trip that changes women in the deepest way. I’ve seen it in myself, my friends and Rani in the movie. She comes back home strong, confident, independent and she owns the world. And no one can take that away from her.

Queen is a fun, feel-good movie which will leave you smiling at the end. Make sure to grab a copy and watch it soon!

Photo Credit: Viacom 18 Motion Pictures, Phantom Films.