Maratha Mandir gears up for grand celebrations as Dilwale Dulhaniya le Jayenge completes a historic 1,000 weeks. By Divya Kaushik
One thousand weeks. Housefull shows. Over 30 love marriages. That has been the story of Mumbai’s prestigious Maratha Mandir, the theatre that has been screening India’s most iconic film Dilwale Dulhaniya le Jayenge (DDlJ) non stop since it was released in 1995. And it is gearing up for two housefull shows today as the film moves into its 1001st week.
Says the theatre’s executive director Manoj Desai, “DDlJ embodied the dream love of every youngster and told them how to make it work in a real world. Shah Rukh as Raj, with all his earnestness and sincerity and Kajol as Simran, with all her vulnerability and simplicity, have appealed to youngsters defying age and time. Over 30 couples got married after watching the film here. And all of them met me and thanked me for screening this magical film that had helped them chart their destinies.” Which is why Desai is going all out for the 1,000th week celebrations.
For the big screening today the bookings closed three days ago. The matinee show has been booked by the Yash Raj Films’ team for a grand reunion. “We will have guests from the industry and some private guests attending the matinee show and the after party. I will be given the trophy by the team. SRK and Kajol are expected to perform on one of the songs of the movie,” informs Desai, who has watched the film nine times so far. “We have changed nine prints over the last 19 years to improve the sound and visual quality. To ensure that each new print is perfect, I have watched the entire film nine times,” says Desai. He is not doling out freebies because for him business of DDlJ has always been good, courtesy India’s burgeoning young population.
What would aspiring actors and other youngsters who travel to Mumbai from neighbourhood districts just for a day for job hunting do in their spare timeIJ Watch DDlJ at Maratha Mandir. “Almost 40 per cent of our viewers have been casual visitors to Mumbai. The theatre is located close to Mumbai Central railway station and the state transport bus stand. Young people who travel to Mumbai for a day have time to spare before catching a next bus and watching a film is better than loitering around in the sun or sitting in the restaurant, which can be an expensive option. The highest that we charge per ticket is Rs20,” says Desai. This is one reason why DDlJ has occupied the morning slot of 11:30 am for the last 19 years. The Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol starrer, which became an unparalleled brand and the longest running film in the history of Indian cinema, changed the fate of the cinema hall, too. “The year was 1995 when DDlJ was screened to a full house at the Maratha Mandir. I stood outside the theatre and clappings and whistles didn’t stop during the movie. I was amazed and I knew that this would be something big. It was Yash Chopra ji’s and my dream that the film should complete its 1,000 weeks. I am glad that we have achieved it,” says Desai.
After its release in 1995, DDlJ was screened for three shows (3 pm, 6 pm and 9 pm) at the cinema hall for the first two weeks. Since then it is screened at 11:30 am. The show, which runs housefull on weekends and witnesses 60 to 70 per cent occupancy on week days,
is priced at Rs15 (stalls), 17 (dress circle) and 20 (for the balcony). In today’s age when people have an option to download the film and watch it as many times as they want, Desai says that visitors come to the Maratha Mandir for an experience. “We have visitors from all strata of society but most of them are love birds who consider watching DDlJ a ritual. As long as people keep coming to us, like they have been for years, we will continue to screen the film,” he signs off.