DDLJ completes 18 years, still running at Maratha Mandir

Aditya Chopra’s eternal romantic film Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge has completed 18 long years since its initial release way back in October 1995. The film, which released 2 weeks before its lead star Shahrukh Khan’s 30th birthday, is still running to packed houses at Mumbai’s famous Maratha Mandir.

Shahrukh Khan visited the Maratha Mandir after the release of Chennai Express

To celebrate the occasion we bring you 5 unknown facts of India’s most loved romantic film.

• Aditya Chopra first offered the role of Raj to Saif Ali Khan, who rejected it. Shahrukh Khan was then signed to play the lead role opposite Kajol. The rest, as they say, is history.
• The first shot of DDLJ was shot at the Trafalgar Square in London. It has Amrish Puri feeding doves, a habit which he follows before he opens his shop every day.
• Karan Johar made his acting debut in DDLJ where he played the character of Rocky.
• Shahrukh’s friends in the film, Karan Johar and Arjun Sablok, both went on to become directors. Johar directed Khan in Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, another landmark film in the history of Indian Cinema. Sablok directed Hrithik Roshan in Na Tum Jaano Na Hum.
• The title of the film was suggested by Anupam Kher’s wife Kiron Kher.