Only a few films have actually been shot at Aligarh Muslim University. The best known are Mere Mehboob (1963) and Nai Umar Ki Nai Fasal (1966), both filmed on the campus. Hansal Mehta’s Aligarh (2016) is set in the city and the university, but it was mostly shot at Bareilly College.
Lists of “films shot at AMU” online often include titles with no clear link to the campus. We have kept only those confirmed by film records or national news reports, and we say where each film was actually shot.
1. Mere Mehboob (1963)
Directed by H.S. Rawail, Mere Mehboob starred Rajendra Kumar, Sadhana and Ashok Kumar, with Nimmi, Pran and Johnny Walker in supporting roles. The story draws on the setting of Aligarh Muslim University and the old culture of Lucknow.
Also readWhy AMU Students and Alumni Are Called Aligs
The film’s opening shows a residential hall of the university and its clock tower, Victoria Gate. The title song “Mere Mehboob” was shot in a university hall, and parts of the campus can be seen at several points in the film.
Why it matters: It is the best documented example of the AMU campus appearing in a Hindi film.
2. Nai Umar Ki Nai Fasal (1966)
Directed by R. Chandra, Nai Umar Ki Nai Fasal starred Tanuja and Rajeev and was released on 1 January 1966. The story is set in a university, and the film was shot on the AMU campus.
Its music was composed by Roshan. The film is remembered today mainly for the song “Kaaravaan Guzar Gaya”, sung by Mohammed Rafi and written by Gopaldas Neeraj.
Best for: Viewers who want to see how the campus looked in the mid-1960s.
3. Aligarh (2016)
Aligarh, directed by Hansal Mehta and written by Apurva Asrani, is based on the life of Ramchandra Siras, a professor of Marathi who headed the Department of Modern Indian Languages at AMU. Manoj Bajpayee played Siras and Rajkummar Rao played journalist Deepak Sebastian.
Siras was suspended by the university in February 2010 after a local television crew filmed him in a sting operation. The Allahabad High Court ruled in his favour on 1 April 2010, and he was found dead in his Aligarh flat on 7 April 2010. A case was registered and later closed without a conclusion.
The film premiered at the Busan International Film Festival in October 2015 and was released in India on 26 February 2016. Manoj Bajpayee won the Filmfare Critics Award for Best Actor and the Asia Pacific Screen Award for Best Actor for the role.
Where Aligarh was actually shot
Although the film carries the city’s name, the crew did not shoot at AMU. Local opposition meant the production could not film on the campus, and much of the film was shot at Bareilly College instead. Other scenes were filmed in Allahabad, Delhi and Mumbai.
The film was also not screened in Aligarh city theatres when it released. HuffPost India reported on 28 February 2016 that this was not an official ban, but that the city’s mayor and some local groups had opposed the screenings over the film’s title and subject.
Why it matters: Many viewers assume the campus seen in Aligarh is AMU. It is not.
4. Majaz: Ae Gham-e-Dil Kya Karun (2017)
This biographical film is about Asrarul Haq Majaz, the Urdu poet who wrote the AMU Tarana while he was a student at Aligarh. Directed by Ravindra Singh, it was released on 20 January 2017, with Priyanshu Chatterjee in the title role.
The film was made in Hindi and Urdu and runs for nearly three hours. We could not confirm from reliable reports whether any of it was filmed at AMU, so it is listed here for its subject rather than its location.
Why so few films use AMU
The campus is a working residential university with more than a dozen halls and thousands of students living on it. Shooting means working around classes, examinations and hostel life, and every crew needs written permission.
The case of Aligarh also showed that a film about the university can face local objections even when it is shot elsewhere.
What about web series?
As of October 2026, we found no reliable news report of a major streaming web series shot on the AMU campus. If one is confirmed, we will add it to this list.
Filming on the campus needs the university’s permission. A 2022 trade report said AMU had eased its paperwork for film crews, so that producers needed to submit only a synopsis and treatment to its expert committee, but it did not name any production that had been cleared.
Quick list
| Title | Year | Director | Link to AMU or Aligarh | Shot at AMU? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mere Mehboob | 1963 | H.S. Rawail | Set against the AMU backdrop | Yes |
| Nai Umar Ki Nai Fasal | 1966 | R. Chandra | Story set in a university | Yes |
| Aligarh | 2016 (India release) | Hansal Mehta | Life of AMU professor Ramchandra Siras | No, mostly Bareilly College |
| Majaz: Ae Gham-e-Dil Kya Karun | 2017 | Ravindra Singh | Biopic of the Tarana’s writer | Not confirmed |
Spotting AMU on screen
If you watch the older films, look for Victoria Gate with its clock tower and the buildings of Sir Syed Hall, the oldest part of the campus. Mere Mehboob in particular uses these heritage buildings in its opening scene.
For the stories behind these buildings, read our History section. More on the city is in Aligarh, and more lists like this are under Listicles.
Frequently asked questions
Which Bollywood films were shot at AMU?
Mere Mehboob (1963) and Nai Umar Ki Nai Fasal (1966) were shot on the AMU campus. These are the two best documented examples.
Was the film Aligarh shot in Aligarh?
No. The crew could not shoot at AMU, and much of the film was shot at Bareilly College, with other scenes in Allahabad, Delhi and Mumbai.
Which song of Mere Mehboob was shot at AMU?
The title song “Mere Mehboob” was filmed in a university hall at AMU.
Is there a film on the AMU Tarana writer?
Yes. Majaz: Ae Gham-e-Dil Kya Karun (2017), directed by Ravindra Singh, is a biopic of the poet Majaz.
Sources: Wikipedia, Mere Mehboob (background); Wikipedia, Aligarh (film) (background); Wikipedia, Nai Umar Ki Nai Fasal (background); HuffPost India, February 2016.
