This week celebrates 1000 weeks of the film Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (DDLJ, English translation "The Brave Hearted Will Take Away the Bride") and is celebrating this incredible milestone from 12-18 December 2014.
Released in India on 20 October 1995, the film has had an uninterrupted screening in the Maratha Mandir theatre in Mumbai. DDLJ is the second longest running film in continuous theatrical release in the world. The first is Rocky Horror Picture Show which first hit the theatres on 14 August 1975.
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If you are new to Bollywood, here are five reasons you MUST watch this film.
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Entertaining Story. Even after nearly 20 years, the story continues to engage audiences, old and new. The plight of two lovers destined to be together who face insurmountable obstacles is infused with hope and sincerity. Highlighting both modern and traditional values, the film is full of moments of humor and pathos but neither undermines the tale. The storyline maintains a quality of honesty and respect which leads to an unforgettable conclusion.
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All Star Cast. The film features Bollywood a-listers Shah Rukh Khan, Kajol, Amrish Puri, Anupam Kher, and Farida Jalal. Each of these actors has an impressive body of cinematic work to their credit and have gone on to inspire the performances of younger actors. These are Bollywood stars you should know if you are just beginning to explore the world of Indian film. Once you see DDLJ, you will be keen to explore other films featuring these actors.
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Memorable music. The songs and musical performances in the film stand the test of time. The high-energy "Ruk Ja O Dil Deewane" firmly establishes the characters of Raj Malhotra (Shah Rukh Khan) and Simran Singh (Kajol) as antagonistic opposites. The spirited "Zara Sa Jhoom Loon Main" brings these opposites together. The wedding song "Mehndi Laga Ke Rakhna" became an instant hit is often played at Indian wedding celebrations. Lyricist Anand Bakshi won a Filmfare Award for the song "Tujhe Dekha To" -
Tujhe dekha to yeh jaana sanam, pyaar hota hai deewaana sanam
(When I saw you I understood this my love, love is crazy my love.)- which continues to inspire heartfelt romance.
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Travelogue. From London to Switzerland to the plains of the Haryana, the film takes you on an entertaining trip through Europe to India. As the main characters are Non-Resident Indians living in London, the film presents you with a cornucopia of sights and sounds from both Europe and India that celebrate the beauty in culture and landscape of each of these regions.
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Cultural Icon. A masterpiece of romance and storytelling, references to the film permeate Indian cinema to this day. Credited with defining a generation of moviegoers, scenes and lines of dialogue have been memorized - and recreated - by fans all over the world. Once you see the film, you will most likely recognize and appreciate the subtle (or not-so subtle) allusions to DDLJ in other Indian films. The film won 10 Filmfare awards - a record at the time - including Best Film, Best Director, Best Actor and Best Actress. This was the first film which prolific screenwriter Aditya Chopra also directed.
Celebrations are planned for this 1000 week anniversary - something producer Yash Chopra had hoped for. To celebrate #1000WeeksOfDDLJ, Yash Chopra Films released a brand new trailer for the film.
The following video featuring DDLJ stars Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol sharing their thoughts about making the film. They share selectionsfrom the book, Aditya Chopra Relives... Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (As Told to Nasreen Munni Kabir). Afterwards they interacted with media and fans at Marathi Mandir theater. The following playlist features videos of these celebratory events.
Below is a Storify collection collection of tweets and posts celebrating 1000 weeks of Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge. Mouseover the images to get additional tweet text.
If you liked his, check out all our DDLJ stories.