Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (1995), the longest-running film in the history of cinema, completed 30 years on October 20. On this historic occasion, Bollywood Hungama exclusively spoke to distributor and exhibitor Raj Bansal. He released the Shah Rukh Khan-Kajol starrer in Rajasthan and revealed the drama that erupted before its release in Jaipur.
Raj Bansal began by saying, “The film was about to release and we were unable to get a theatre for the film in Jaipur. A very big film was running in Raj Mandir. Hence, screening DDLJ in that theatre was out of the question. We were not even able to get Golcha, Ankur, or any other major theatre in the city.”
He continued, “We panicked and didn’t know what to do. My father (O P Bansal) told me, ‘Izzat kharaab ho jaayegi. Yash ji (Yash Chopra) is like a family. It’s his son’s (Aditya Chopra’s) first film. We should release it in the best theatre’. With no other option, my father told me to hop on the next available flight, fly down to Mumbai and meet Yash ji. There was a theatre in Jaipur that we used to run called Man Prakash; my father concluded that it was the only option that we had, though it was not a cinema where DDLJ should ideally release, especially when it was Adi’s first film. My dad told me to inform Yash ji and seek his suggestion.”
When asked why Man Prakash was not an ideal venue to play Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, Raj Bansal explained, “Man Prakash was a B-category theatre. During the 60s and 70s, several biggies were released in that cinema, but the scenario changed in the 90s. Then, only repeat films and small-budget new films, which used to not get theatres, used to be screened in Man Prakash. Moreover, this film was mounted on a very lavish scale, was produced by Yash Chopra and marked the directorial debut of Aditya Chopra. Taking all these factors into account, we were expecting the film to be a big blockbuster. Hence, we wanted to release it in a theatre which could do justice to the product.”
Raj Bansal then revealed, “I met Yash ji and apprised him of the situation. He told me, ‘Beta, I am busy with a lot of work. You are like family. Tere bhai ki picture release ho rahi hai. You know what to do best. Whichever theatre is available, bhagwan ka naam lo aur film ko wahaan release kar do’. This is how we released DDLJ in Man Prakash. The film ended up running house full for 15 long weeks in that theatre! Jaipur witnessed crowds like never before, outside Man Prakash. There used to be huge traffic jams because of the crowd.”
He even said, “The office of Police Commissionerate Jaipur was located next to the theatre. The police were tired of controlling traffic, that too right outside their headquarters!”
Raj Bansal exulted, “In the history of Man Prakash, this was the most successful film. We heaved a sigh of relief as we didn’t let Yash Raj Films down. We played the film there as we had no other option. But it turned out to be a blessing in disguise as they used to charge minimum rent. This is because nobody used to screen their big films there. Hence, the distributor’s share was quite high.”
When it comes to cinemas, not just in Jaipur but in India, one theatre that stands out is Raj Mandir. The single screen theatre is known for its stunning interiors, comfortable seats and superior picture and sound quality. Raj Bansal ended by stating, “There came a time in March 2021 when Raj Mandir didn’t have any exciting content to play. This is when they contacted us and asked if they could play DDLJ. So after more than 25 years of its release, DDLJ was finally played in Raj Mandir!”
More Pages: Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge Box Office Collection
BOLLYWOOD NEWS - LIVE UPDATES
Catch us for latest Bollywood News, New Bollywood Movies update, Box office collection, New Movies Release , Bollywood News Hindi, Entertainment News, Bollywood Live News Today & Upcoming Movies 2025 and stay updated with latest hindi movies only on Bollywood Hungama.
