A Delhi girl finally watched ‘Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge’ at the epic Maratha Mandir

When I first came to Mumbai, I crossed a theatre named ‘Maratha Mandir’. It was playing my forever favourite ‘Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge’ (DDLJ), and mind you, this is years after the film’s release. And it was also the time when I realised that the film has been running successfully at this theatre since forever. So, it was then that I made a promise to myself that whenever the next time I am in Mumbai, I will watch DDLJ at Maratha Mandir. 

Years later, I got married to a film fanatic. During our courtship, I had told him about this wish. And guess what, he fulfilled it today. 

We were late for the show. But I didn’t even know that we were supposed to go for my favourite film ever. So, the moment I entered the theatre, I was grinning ear to ear - because of the film, of course, and because he remembered. I saw that the theatre was nearly house full. Now, you may think that maybe I am excited to watch the film because I haven’t seen it in theatre. No, I have watched the film in theatre before but there I was, standing inside was THE Maratha Mandir, watching the best romantic film Bollywood ever made and was with my man. 

I did miss Raj’s entrance, but the moment ‘Rukja O Dil Deewane’ began, I heard whistles, claps and found myself singing along aloud as my husband watched me amused. Finally, I wasn’t the only one saying the dialogues, enjoying the movie bit to bit. We all were going weak in the knees every time Shah Rukh Khan emoted with eyes or said super senti dialogues. We all were celebrating the Sunday morning in a dreamy manner. I could see a part of me in Simran, and as cheesy it sounds, imagined my Raj in my husband :D. 

For all of us in that theatre, Raj and Simran’s fight for love continued to become an escapism from our own personal issues for those many hours. And imagine, this film continues to have that kind of effect on you even after decades of its release. 


So basically, when Amrish Puri says ‘Jaa Simran Jaa, Jeele Apni Zindagi’, we all feel replenished for the coming long week of work, school or college. 

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