DDLJ turns 23: SRK-Kajol starrer crosses 1,200-week run at Maratha Mandir

If like the rest of India, you grew up watching Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, this is a reason to celebrate. DDLJ has been playing at Mumbai’s Maratha Mandir cinema hall since its release on 20 October, 1995, making it the longest-running movie in India. It has been 23 years but Maratha Mandir is still in love with “Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge”, which completed an uninterrupted run of 1,200 weeks at the city’s iconic theatre.

Besides being a modern-day fable of love, DDLJ also transported its viewers to new places through the lead pair Raj and Simran’s month-long holiday in Europe. The 1995 film saw Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol emerge as a romantic heartthrobs in Bollywood, with stellar performances by Amrish Puri, Farida Jalal, Anupam Kher, Satish Shah and Himani Shivpuri, among others.

Shah Rukh took to Twitter Wednesday to express his gratitude for the love and adulation.“A special journey that began 23 years ago, goes on even today. Your love has kept Raj & Simran’s story alive on the big screen for 1200 weeks non-stop. Thank you for falling in love with us so unconditionally for so many years! #23YearsOfDDLJ (sic),” he tweeted.

 Kajol added, “1200 weeks and still running! Thank you all for all the love that you have been showering on #DDLJ for so many years! It was, it is and will always be an incredibly special film for all of us. @iamsrk @yrf #AdityaChopra.”

Such is the popularity of the movie, numerous Bollywood-themed Yash Chopra tours started being introduced in Switzerland in the last decade. There’s now even a Chopra Lake in Alpenrausch and a Chopra train run by Jungfrau Railways, both named after the film’s director Yash Chopra.

Fondly called “DDLJ”, the film is remembered for the romance between Raj and Simran that blossoms during the European road trip, most of which unfolds in Switzerland's pastoral meadows, snowy Alps and quaint villages. The film also sparked off India’s love affair with the Swiss Alps.

Songs like “Na jaane mere”, “Tujhe dekha” and “Ruk ja” by Lata Mangeshkar, Udit Narayan and Kumar Sanu on memorable tunes by Jatin-Lalit still rule the hearts of diehard romantics.Directed by Aditya Chopra, the film completed 20 years in 2015.

(With PTI inputs)