https://maps.app.goo.gl/vnYxAPFpUMq75B7C9
Watch it here:
Witness History - DDLJ: India’s longest running movie - BBC Sounds
Then and Now (film still + current photo)
Welcome to the home of cinema and the heart of the West End of London – Leicester Square.
To listen to this clip, grab a seat near the fountains – there’s plenty of benches, and the grass is lovely to sit on if it’s a dry day!
Built in the 17th century as a residential area, it soon became a popular hub for public gatherings and events within the fashionable grounds and pleasure gardens.
In the 20th century, the gardens were replaced with theatres, casinos and cinemas, becoming a major entertainment hub in the centre of London, with the Empire and Alhambra theatres, and later the Odeon and Vue Cinema Complexes, which both host premiers of films from all over the world.
But – bade bade desho mein, aisi choti choti baatein hoti hai senorita, so what’s the big deal?
Film premieres happen all over the world, what’s so special about this square?
Well, We’re here for a specific reason though, and you may have spotted it already, depending on which side of the square you entered from.
There’s a beautiful bronze statue hidden somewhere around the square, which was installed to commemorate thirty years since the release of DDLJ.
Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol unveiled it in December 2025 with great pomp and fanfar, making it an incredibly special moment, even in the pouring rain! Typical England!
In December 2025, a statue of two of Bollywood’s biggest actors was unveiled in Leicester Square, commemorating the legendary film Dilwale Dhulaniya Le Jayenge.
Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol unveiled the bronze statue as part of 30 year commemorations of the release, which is the longest running film in Indian Cinema.
On a recent trip, I managed to nab a pic with the statue, and I invite you to do the same.