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www.newsindiatimes.com – that’s all you need to know Entertainment News India Times (April 12, 2025 - April 18, 2025) April 18, 2025 26 Yash Raj Films’ DDLJ Becomes First-Ever Indian Film Honored With Statue At Leicester Square T he Heart of London Business Alliance has announced that a new statue will be joining the exciting ‘Scenes in the Square’ movie trail in Leices- ter Square, with Yash Raj Films’ his- toric blockbuster Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (DDLJ) becoming the first-ever statue honoring Indian cinema to be erected in London. This will mark the start of 30-year celebrations of DDLJ, one of the most loved Hindi films of all time, a timeless and multi award-winning movie that also marked the directo- rial debut of Aditya Chopra. The bronze statue will depict the two megastars, Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol, in an iconic DDLJ pose. Set to be unveiled in Spring this year, the announcement signifies how the film is loved by the over five million-strong British South Asian community. DDLJ is a pop culture milestone for India and South Asians globally. Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge fol- lows 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 location couldn’t be more fitting, with Leicester Square featuring in DDLJ in a scene when Raj and Simran first cross paths, albeit unbeknown to one another, before set- ting off on their European adventure. 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, honoring this scene. Other London locations featured in the film include Horseguards’ Avenue, Hyde Park, Tower Bridge and King’s Cross Station. The film has left a lasting impact on Indian cinema, becoming such a global phenomenon that even Barack Obama, the then-President of the United States, refer- enced it on his official state visit to India. In UK, the film’s cultural significance remains, with a new musical based on DDLJ, Come Fall in Love – The DDLJ Musical, set to start at the Manchester Opera House on May 29. With over 140 million followers on social media, Shah Rukh Khan, the film’s leading man, is among the most loved actor of our times. The DDLJ stars Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol join the Who’sWho of international cinema at Scenes in the Square, alongside 10 other film icons from the past 100 years. DDLJ will be next to iconic film characters like Harry Potter, Laurel & Hardy, Bugs Bunny, Gene Kelly in Singin’ in the Rain, Mary Poppins, Mr. Bean, Paddington and DC Super-Heroes Batman andWonderWoman. MarkWilliams, Deputy Chief Executive at Heart of London Business Alliance, says, “It’s fan- tastic to have the opportunity to add to our trail Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol, who are such titans of international cinema. Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge is one of the most successful and important Bollywood films of all time, and we’re excited by the prospect of bringing to the trail the first film that actually features Leicester Square as a location. The statue is a fitting tribute to the global popularity of Bollywood and a celebration of London’s rich diversity. We’re in no doubt it will attract fans from all around the world to Leicester Square, the home of film and entertain- ment.” AkshayeWidhani, CEO of Yash Raj Films, added: “When Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (DDLJ) was released 30 years ago, the film became a defining moment for Indian cinema and changed the face of the industry, capturing the hearts of everyone who saw it all over the globe. We’re thrilled to be the first Indian film to be represented in ‘Scenes in the Square’. It also marks 30 years of DDLJ, a film that has spread love and joy globally and shows the cultural im- pact it has had in UK. We are honored that our superstars and our film are being recognized on the world stage alongside the Hollywood elite, from Gene Kelly to Laurel & Hardy to Harry Potter. This statue will be a great way to express the international appeal of Indian movies and build bridges among communities through cinema.” Though the film released around Diwali week, it is actually the first film that started the Diwali hype as a premium release date. The music also remains cult to this date, and the film also marked the debut of Parmeet Singh and Mandira Bedi. By RajivVijayakar PHOTO: Instagram / discoverlsq /YRF A sequence from DDLJ that was shot in London. Singer Shannon K Joins Likes Of Diljit Dosanjh, AP Dhillon As She Becomes Next Indian-Born Artist To Perform At Coachella 2025 S inger-actor Shannon K is all set to join the likes of Bollywood singing sensations Diljit Dosanjh and AP Dhillon with her performance at the iconic Coachella festival in April this year. Daughter of legendary Bollywood playback singer Kumar Sanu, Shannon K’s Coachella performance marks a landmark achievement for her, as she becomes the first Indie Indian-origin singer to represent India at the Coachella Festival 2025. The festival will be held from April 11 to April 13 and from April 18 to April 20 at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California. The estimated crowd will be 120,000 music lovers. Shannon K expressed her excitement about perform- ing at the Coachella 2025. In a press note shared by her team, the singer said, “It’s in the bucket list of every Indi- an-origin Indie artist working hard to break the boundar- ies and make their music heard. Indians are extremely talented. Indian music, while rooted in Indian classical to RnB and pop, is underrated. This is the beginning of something incredible and I’m so excited for it”. The versatile artist who has impressed her fans will treat Coachella attendees to a fusion of her original indie- pop tracks and some of her father Kumar Sanu’s most iconic Bollywood blockbusters. With a mesmerizing stage presence and a distinctive voice, Shannon is expected to deliver a performance ac- companied by nostalgia and high-energy pop for Coach- ella’s diverse audience. She will be seen treating the audience with some of her most popular tracks, including Give Me Your Hand - a massive hit that brought her international acclaim and won her the Best International Singer Award--A Longtime, Always, Run, Retrace, OMT - a cross-cultural collaboration with Indian music icon Sonu Nigam--and many more. Over the years, Shannon K has steadily carved her own musical identity on the global stage with her indie songs. The Coachella debut is a proud moment for the singer as she becomes one of the few Indian talents to perform at Coachella 2025. -ANI PHOTO: Instagram @shannonksinger Singer Shannon K.