Bollywood superstars Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol celebrated a landmark moment in London as they unveiled a bronze statue of their iconic ‘Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge’ characters, Raj and Simran, at Leicester Square. The installation commemorates the 30th anniversary of the beloved classic and marks a historic first for Indian cinema in the UK.Shah Rukh Khan pens heartfelt note
Shah Rukh pens heartfelt note
Sharing photos from the unveiling, Shah Rukh Khan expressed his delight in a joint social media post with Kajol. “Bade Bade Deshon Mein, Aisi Chhoti Chhoti Baatein Hoti Rehti Hain, Senorita! Thrilled to unveil the bronze statue of Raj & Simran at London’s Leicester Square today, celebrating 30 years of Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (DDLJ)!” he wrote.The actor went on to highlight the significance of the honour, adding, “Incredibly delighted that DDLJ is the first Indian film to be honoured with a statue in the Scenes in the Square trail. A big thank you to everyone in the UK for making this possible.”
Shah Rukh Khan on the lasting impact of ‘DDLJ’
“DDLJ was made with a pure heart. We wanted to tell a story about love, how it can bridge barriers and how the world would be a better place if it had a lot of love in it, and I think this is why ‘DDLJ’ has had a lasting impact for over 30 years now,” said Khan.“Personally, ‘DDLJ’ is part of my identity, and it is humbling to see film, and Kajol and me, receiving so much love since it was released,” he said.He expressed his gratitude to the Heart of London Business Alliance, behind the cinematic trail at Leicester Square, for celebrating ‘DDLJ’ and “immortalising” its lead stars.“Seeing ‘DDLJ’ become the first Indian film to be honoured in the iconic Scenes in the Square trail is an emotional moment and has brought back so many memories.“I feel immense pride knowing the film has been embraced around the world, and I want to share this moment with the entire cast and crew of ‘DDLJ’, my friend and director Aditya Chopra and the Yash Raj Films family. This is a moment I will never forget,” added Khan.
Kajol reacts to the honour
Kajol, joined by her daughter Nysa and son Yug, posed with Khan in front of the statue as she braved the rain in a green saree.“It’s incredible to see ‘Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge’ continue to receive so much love, even 30 years later. Watching the statue being unveiled in London felt like reliving a piece of our history – a story that has truly travelled across generations,” said Kajol.“Seeing it find its rightful place in Leicester Square, a location of such enormous significance to ‘DDLJ’, makes this moment even more special. For the film to be honoured in this way in the UK – the first Indian film to receive such recognition – is something that will forever stay in the hearts and minds of all the ‘DDLJ’ fans across the world,” she said.
Abou the statue
Their statue, captured in a dancing pose from the hit song ‘Mehndi Laga Ke Rakhna’, joins the likes of Harry Potter, Bridget Jones, Mary Poppins, and Batman in what is dubbed as an ever-growing celebration of movie magic in a square packed with multiplex cinema screens.
About the film
Since its release in 1995, ‘DDLJ’ has become the longest-running film in Hindi cinema history.
The ‘DDLJ’ impact
It is a particularly special year for the film, with a musical based on the romance playing to packed houses at Manchester’s Opera House earlier this year. Aditya Chopra reprised his role as director of the English language stage production, ‘Come Fall In Love – The DDLJ Musical’, which revolved around the love story of Simran and Roger. The script was a nod to the original as it followed Simran as a young British Indian woman who finds herself engaged to a family friend in India in an arranged marriage. However, the plot thickens when she falls in love with a British man named Roger.
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