Bollywood stars Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol huddled under an umbrella on a rainy Thursday in London to unveil their bronze likeness from an iconic Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge scene.
The sculpture of the duo joins Leicester Square’s ‘Scenes in the Square’ trail depicting memorable shots from some of the world’s most famous films, with ‘DDLJ’ marking a Bollywood first and the 30th anniversary of the 1995 box-office hit.
In the movie, it is in this popular London square that SRK as Raj and Kajol as Simran first cross paths unknowingly.
“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 Shah Rukh Khan.
“Personally, ‘DDLJ’ is part of my identity, and it is humbling to see the film, and Kajol and me, receiving so much love since it was released,” he said.
The Bollywood icon 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,” said Shah Rukh.
“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,” he added.
Kajol, joined by her daughter Nysa and son Yug, posed with Shah Rukh in front of the statue as she braved the rain in a green sari.
“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.
The ‘DDLJ’ statue, sculpted 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.
“When Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge – ‘DDLJ’ – was released 30 years ago, the film became a defining moment for Indian cinema and changed the face of the industry, capturing the hearts of everyone who saw it all over the globe,” said Akshaye Widhani, CEO of Yash Raj Films.
“We’re thrilled to be the first Indian film to be represented in ‘Scenes in the Square’. It also marks 30 years of ‘DDLJ’, a film that has spread love and joy globally, and shows the cultural impact it has had in UK,” said Widhani.
“We are honoured that our superstars and our film are being recognised on the world stage alongside the Hollywood elite, from Gene Kelly to Laurel & Hardy to Harry Potter. This statue will be a great way to express the international appeal of Indian movies and build bridges amongst communities through cinema,” he said.
Since its release in 1995, ‘DDLJ’ has become the longest-running film in Hindi cinema history.
Ros Morgan, Chief Executive at the Heart of London Business Alliance, said, “We’re proud to welcome global megastars Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol to our ‘Scenes in the Square’ trail.
“Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge is a cinematic phenomenon that has shaped generations, and London’s first tribute to Indian cinema honours a story whose magic continues to captivate audiences worldwide,” said Morgan.
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, a take on the original Raj.
