Mumbai, India —

Inside the Maratha Mandir movie theater, audience members jump to their feet as the first notes of an iconic mandolin riff play, their bodies casting silhouettes against the opening credits of a film screened here nearly every day for 30 years.

A joyous, collective roar erupts from the rows as the lead actors share their first fated glance. Near the front, a young couple mirrors that gaze, their wedding photographer capturing a timeless moment against the iconic backdrop.

Governments have fallen, and a new millennium has dawned, yet people still come to this Mumbai cinema to immerse themselves in the comfort of a love story known by heart, for less than $1 a ticket.

Released in 1995, “Diwale Dulhania Le Jayenge,” commonly referred to as “DDLJ,” tells the story of two young Indians, Raj Malhotra and Simran Singh, raised in London, who fall for each other during a freewheeling trip across Europe, only to face the ultimate test – earning her father’s approval. It became a cultural touchstone and the second-highest-grossing film of its decade.

Raj (Shah Rukh Khan) and Simran (Kajol) on a London bus in a scene from "DDLJ." Yash Raj Films

Since then, the cinema’s daily showing has drawn young Indians dreaming of their own epic romance, those seeking a brief escape from the pressures of city life in Mumbai, and curious tourists who want to see the fandom up close.

“I watch it almost every day,” said Suneel Shedge, a 50-year-old diamond worker from a nearby neighborhood who speaks with leading man charisma, and is prone to bursting into songs from the movie. As the film hits its three-decade anniversary this month, he has come to pay homage to what he considers Bollywood’s greatest love story.

“Sometimes I cry, sometimes there’s pain. There’s happiness, there’s sadness,” he said. “A movie like this will never be made ever again.”

Video Ad Feedback Suneel Shedge outside the Maratha Mandir in October 2025, on why he's so taken by the film. 0:15 • Source: CNN Suneel Shedge outside the Maratha Mandir in October 2025, on why he's so taken by the film. 0:15

It’s the “most beautiful love story,” said 23-year-old Vaishnavi Deshmukh, who has lost count of how m