Shah Rukh Khan, Kajol unveil ‘DDLJ’ sculpture at London’s Leicester Square

London, Dec 4 (PTI) 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 coinciding with the 30th anniversary year of the 1995 box-office hit.

It is in this popular London square that SRK as Raj and Kajol as Simran first cross paths unknowingly in that film.

“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.

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 like re-living a piece of our history; a story that has truly travelled across generations,” she said.

Their statue, captured in a dancing pose from the hit song ‘Mehndi Laga Ke Rakhna’, joins the likes of Harry Potter, Paddington Bear, 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 the UK.

“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.

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. PTI AK NPK NPK