Pointer:-
•A bronze statue featuring SRK and Kajol will soon be revealed in Leicester Square in London.
• The scene in Leicester Square from Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (DDLJ), the longest-running Hindi film of all time, is depicted.
• An announcement is being made to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the film’s release.
The Heart of London Business Alliance has announced that Leicester Square’s ‘Scenes in the Square’ movie statue trail will be featuring a new statue of Bollywood’s king of romance, Shah Rukh Khan, and his co-star Kajol, from their film Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge. This marks the first long-term Bollywood statue in the UK and celebrates the 25th anniversary of the iconic DDLJ film. The statue’s unveiling is set for Spring 2021, and organizers hope that Khan and Kajol can attend the special event.
DDLJ is a classic romantic film directed by Aditya Chopra, which broke box office records and became the longest-running Hindi film of all time. It won a record-breaking 10 Filmfare Awards and significantly impacted the global Bollywood industry. The statue’s location outside the Odeon Cinema in Leicester Square is particularly fitting, as it was featured in the movie during a scene where the two main characters first meet, with the Vue and Odeon cinemas visible in the background. The film also showcases London locations such as Horseguards Avenue, Hyde Park, Tower Bridge, and King’s Cross Station. The new statue will join Leicester Square’s other iconic film characters, including Harry Potter, Laurel & Hardy, Bugs Bunny, Gene Kelly, Mary Poppins, Mr. Bean, Paddington, Batman, and Wonder Woman. Westminster Council has granted these statutes longer-term residency until at least July 2023.
According to Mark Williams, Director of Destination Marketing at Heart of London Business Alliance:: “It’s fantastic to be adding such titans of international cinema to our trail as Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol. Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge is one of the most successful and important Bollywood films of all time, and it’s exciting to bring to the trail the first film that features Leicester Square as a location. This statue is a fitting tribute to the global popularity of Bollywood and the cultural bridges that cinema can help build, and we’re in no doubt it will attract fans from all around the world.”
Vice President of Special Projects at Yash Raj Films, Avtar Panesar, commented: “When Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge was released 25 years ago, it changed the face of the industry and captured the hearts of everyone who saw it. We’re thrilled to be able to announce this statue and to be the first film of Indian origin to be represented in ‘Scenes in the Square.’ We are honored that these Bollywood superstars have been recognized alongside the Hollywood elite, from Gene Kelly to Laurel & Hardy, and this is a great way to express the international appeal of cinema.”
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