Pratik Handore
‘Hostel Daze’ is an Indian comedy-drama series revolving around the lives of a group of students at an engineering college. The show is created by Saurabh Khanna and Abhishek Yadav and mainly takes place in the hostel of the National Advanced Technical Training Institute (NATTI). The college’s vast campus houses thousands of students, numerous faculty members, classrooms, labs, etc.
The small rooms, single beds, closets, and canteen, will remind you of your college days. That burst of nostalgia must have certainly made you curious about the existence of NATTI. If you are wondering if the college is real or where it is located, we’ve got you covered! Here’s everything you need to know about the college seen in ‘Hostel Daze.’
Is National Advanced Technical Training Institute (NATTI) a Real College?
No, National Advanced Technical Training Institute (NATTI) is a fictional college. At least, the name of the college isn’t real. However, the campus and infrastructure of the college are very much real. The hostels, classrooms, labs, canteen, etc., that are seen in the series are on the campus of Symbiosis International University (SIU), a multi-campus private university. So in a manner of speaking SIU stands in for the fictional NATTI.
However, SIU is not just an engineering college. Unlike its fictional counterpart, it offers various undergraduate programs such as Architecture & Design, Law, Health Sciences, etc. It also offers postgraduate and Ph.D. programs. Similarly, SIU has a strict no donation/capitation policy in contrast to NATTI. The private university also has its own entrance exam compared to the all-India entrance exam (JEE) on the basis of which an entrant is admitted to NATTI (as depicted in the show).
Where is the Real Filming Location?
National Advanced Technical Training Institute (NATTI) is situated in Pune, and filming of the show takes place at Symbiosis International University’s Pune campus. The picturesque campus is located on a hilltop near Pune’s Lavale village and is commonly referred to as the Lavale Campus. The campus is spread over an area of 350 acres and is packed with all the modern facilities. The university also provides accommodation for its students in the form of hostels (the Indian equivalent of a dormitory).
Some clever camera trickery is likely used to give the campus a distinct feel and allow viewers to differentiate NATTI from SIU. However, many places on the campus appear exactly as seen in real life, including the common area, computer room, and library. Pune is one of India’s prime educational hubs, and there are about 129 engineering colleges in the city. Therefore, Pune is an ideal setting for ‘Hostel Daze’ given its premise, and SIU’s beautiful campus perfectly complements the show’s depiction of college life.
Read More: Is Hostel Daze a True Story?
