India: A 'Bollywood' Romance on Screen for Thirty Years

India: A 'Bollywood' romance has been playing at a cinema in Bombay for thirty years, becoming the longest-running film in Indian cinema history as of Monday.

Since its release on October 20, 1995, "Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge" - or "DDLJ", meaning "The Lover Will Take the Bride" in English - has been screened daily at the famous Maratha Mandir cinema in Bombay, India's financial capital.

"I've seen it about thirty times since 1996 and I will keep going," laughs Mohammad Shakir, 60.

Every day at 11:30 AM, for 40 rupees (about 0.39 euros), viewers indulge in this love story about two young people who choose to disregard tradition.

Upon its release, "DDLJ" catapulted Shah Rukh Khan to stardom in Indian cinema. Three decades later, this romance, now a Bollywood classic, continues to captivate audiences. "On weekdays, it’s usually students and young couples," notes Manoj Desai, the cinema's director. "On Sundays, we see around 500 attendees."

In the theater, the audience still shows the same enthusiasm. The scene where the heroine runs alongside a moving train to reach her lover is met with a chorus of applause, whistles, and cheers. "That moment gives me chills," admits Mr. Desai.

The film explores the contrast between the open-mindedness of these two young Indians, part of the second generation living abroad, and the conservative values of their parents.

"Cultural Monument"

Some viewers, sometimes nostalgic, have been attending the screenings for years. Among them, a woman comes to the 11:30 AM show regularly, "but we don’t charge her," emphasizes the cinema manager.

Younger generations are also drawn in by this timeless romance. "Our generation views romantic relationships less sentimentally," acknowledges Omkar Saraf, 23, who was born after the film's release. "In this movie, the hero does everything to win his love, expecting nothing in return," he enthuses. He has watched it on TV and his phone, but nothing compares to "the big screen that gives chills." The film’s screening was briefly interrupted in 2015, but it returned after a public outcry.

The cinema is located next to Bombay’s central station, making it an ideal spot for travelers, sometimes from abroad, to catch a show before their train. "The film is like Romeo and Juliet, with a happy ending," notes Kelly Fernandez, a Spanish tourist, for whom watching this famous film is part of her Indian experience. "Even though we didn’t understand the dialogues, we enjoyed the music, dance, and costumes," she adds.

Film critic Baradwaj Rangan sees the longevity of "DDLJ" as a love letter to an India seeking balance between old and modern values. "It has become a kind of cultural monument," the critic notes, as it has "perfectly translated" the tensions between two generations.

He has no doubt that it will remain on screens for a long time, and Mr. Desai is committed to keeping it there as long as his cinema exists.