How Many of These Shooting Locations from DDLJ Have You Been To?

Bade bade deshon mein aisi chhoti chhoti baatein hoti rehti hain...

This dialogue amongst many others is what we all grew up on, and watched Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (DDLJ) all afternoon, every single time it was broadcast on television. All of us wanted to dance at snow-engulfed hilltops like Kajol in Zara Sa Jhoom Loon Main, run amidst those mustard fields showcased in Tujhe Dekha Toh Yeh Jaana Sanam, and drive through Switzerland just like in Ho Gaya Hai Tujhko Pyaar Sajna. The director Aditya Chopra gave us more travel goals through the shooting locations of Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (DDLJ), and introduced Europe to millennials than any other Bollywood film. Let us take you through the sights and journeys Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge familiarised us with, and explore London, Switzerland and India one more time. Let your nostalgia and bucket-list goals collide!

Trafalgar Square, London

The square where Amrish Puri feeds pigeons (although feeding pigeons in the square is no longer allowed), Trafalgar is one of London’s most well-known spots. As Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge‘s opening credits roll with the song Ghar Aaja Pardesi Tera Des Bulaaye playing along, we are left to admire the shots of rain-washed streets of London and the stunning square captured at dawn.

King’s Cross Station, London

Marking the beginning of Shah Rukh Khan’s and Kajol’s Eurotrip on Eurostar, the shots of King’s Cross Station, London filled us with major travel goals. We can admit that some of us wanted a Raj to extend his hand for us, and some wanted a Simran to run towards them to catch the train. King’s Cross Station also features once more as the song Ho Gaya Hai Tujhko Toh Pyaar Sajna starts in the film.

Famous dialogue from the scene: Aapki aankhein mujhe meri daadimaa ki yaad dilaati hain...

Gstaad and Jungfraujoch, Switzerland

Parts of the song Zara Sa Jhoom Loon Main were shot at Gstaad promenade—where Simran enters a chocolate shop (called Early Beck), and they ride the horse-drawn carriage towards the end of the song.

Jungfraujoch, a notable saddle in the Bernese Alps has the highest train station in Europe and is famous for its glacier peaks blanketed in snow. We all wondered how Simran danced freely on snowy peaks of Jungfraujoch in a short, red dress in the song (but she was drunk in the scene, so we understand that rebellious mood).

St. Mauritius Church in Saanen

One of the most adorable moments of Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge is where Raj admires Simran praying, and runs back inside to pray for her wishes to come true. The stunning church that features in the scene is St. Mauritius Church, located in Saanen—the canton of Berne in Switzerland.

Famous dialogue from the scene: God, jo bhi isne maanga hai, wo issey de dena…please.

Mustard Fields, Punjab, India

The love ballad Tujhe Dekha Toh Yeh Jaana Sanam shot in the beautiful covers of mustard farms in Punjab had us all dreaming of our romantic vacation with our loved ones. The still shots of the scene, the bell hung in a cow’s neck, and Shah Rukh’s wide-open arm-pose—all elements of this part in the film became hugely iconic, thanks to Bollywood lovers like us.

The famous pigeon-feeding scene between Amrish Puri and Shah Rukh Khan was also shot in one of the fields of the state.

Famous dialogue from the scene:
Raj: Mitti lag gayi...Hatt gayi abhi…
Baldev Singh Chaudhary (Simran’s father): Aao aao..aao aao. 

If this list made you reminisce about DDLJ, share this with your gang and plan your Eurotrip now!

Featured image courtesy: Yash Raj Films