The statue will be a new addition to Scenes in the Square trail in Leicester Square.
It has been announced that a statue honouring the ‘King of Bollywood’ Shah Rukh Khan and his co-star Kajol will be unveiled in Leicester square this Spring.
To commemorate 30 years of Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (‘DDLJ’) – the longest-running Hindi film of all time, the statue will replicate a scene from the film. It will be the first statue in Scenes in the Square trail in Leicester Square to honour the Indian film industry.
Having grossed over $32.24 million worldwide upon its initial release in 1995, Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge is a romantic comedy directed by Aditya Chopra in his directorial debut.
It is a film that has gone on to be the longest running Hindi film of all time, with the iconic romcom still playing at one of Mumbai’s cinemas today. The story follows two non-resident Indians, Raj and Simran, and their star-crossed love story across Europe and India, beginning on a train from King’s Cross Station, with some of the scenes of the film taking place in Leicester Square.
The DDLJ stars Shah Rukh Khan & Kajol join the who’s who of international cinema at Scenes in the Square, alongside ten other film icons from the past 100 years. In October of last year, a statue of Londoner Daniel Kaluuya in a dramatic scene from the 2017 horror Get Out also joined the original line-up, while visitors can still encounter Harry Potter, Laurel & Hardy, Bugs Bunny, Gene Kelly in Singin’ in the Rain, Mary Poppins, Mr. Bean, Paddington and iconic DC Super-Heroes Batman and Wonder Woman.
Mark Williams, Deputy Chief Executive at Heart of London Business Alliance, says: “It’s fantastic to have the opportunity to add to our trail Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol, who are such titans of international cinema. Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge is one of the most successful and important Bollywood films of all time, and we’re excited by the prospect of bringing to the trail the first film that features Leicester Square as a location. The statue is a fitting tribute to the global popularity of Bollywood and a celebration of London’s rich diversity. We’re in no doubt it will attract fans from all around the world to Leicester Square, the home of film and entertainment.”
Meanwhile, Akshaye Widhani, CEO of Yash Raj Films, added: “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. 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. We are honoured that our superstars and our film are being recognized 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.”
For more information visit: https://leicestersquare.london/whats-on/scenes-in-the-square