On Monday 19th October the Heart of London Business Alliance announced plans of unveiling statues of Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol, first Bollywood Statues to be commissioned at Leicester Square’s ‘Scenes in the Square’ movie statue trail.
Designs have been finalised and planning permission submitted for the statue, which will depict the two Bollywood megastars in one of the most successful Bollywood films of all time, Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (DDLJ), the directorial debut of Aditya Chopra. The timeless romantic classic transients a journey of 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.
The announcement celebrates 25 years DDLJ, and the statue is set to be unveiled in Spring 2021, when organisers hope that both the celebrities will be able to travel to unveil the statue in a special celebratory event. Leicester Square was featured in DDLJ in a scene when Raj and Simran first cross paths, albeit unbeknown to one another. Fittingly, the scene features two of the square’s cinemas prominently, with Raj seen in front of the Vue cinema, and Simran walking past the Odeon Leicester Square. The new statue will be positioned along the eastern terrace, outside the Odeon cinema, honouring this scene. Odeon cinemas, including the Leicester Square one, will be screening the film from 30th October to celebrate the anniversary. Other London locations featured in the film include Horseguards Avenue, Hyde Park, Tower Bridge and King’s Cross Station.
Avtar Panesar, Vice President of Special Projects at Yash Raj Films, said, “When Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge was released 25 years ago, the film became a defining moment for Indian cinema and it changed the face of the industry capturing the hearts of everyone who saw it all over the globe. We’re thrilled to be able to announce the proposal for this statue, and to be the first Indian film to be represented in ‘Scenes in the Square’
“We are honoured that our superstars have been recognized on the world stage alongside the Hollywood elite, from Gene Kelly to Laurel & Hardy. In these challenging times this is a great way to express the international appeal of movies and build bridges amongst communities through cinema.”
