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IIFA Awards completes 25 years and its celebrations are going on in full swing at Jaipur, Rajasthan. Coincidentally, Sholay (1975) completes 50 years this year. Meanwhile, Jaipur’s iconic single screen cinema hall, Raj Mandir, will step into its 50th year soon. Hence, all these three entities joined hands. The screening of Sholay was held on Sunday, March 9, at Raj Mandir by IIFA and it turned out to be a memorable affair. The screening was attended by Sholay’s director Ramesh Sippy, fellow reputed filmmaker Sooraj Barjatya and the who’s who of Jaipur.
Sholay’s 50th anniversary celebration at Raj Mandir Jaipur: Rajasthan Deputy Chief Minister Princess Diya Kumari hails Ramesh Sippy, Sooraj Barjatya: “NO Hollywood film can match Sholay or Hum Aapke Hain Koun”
On this special occasion, the management of Raj Mandir changed their seats. The new seats are far more comfortable and it sets a new benchmark for other single screen theatres that they need to upgrade their facilities, especially when the competition from multiplexes is so immense.
One of the most memorable parts of the screening was the speech by Rajasthan Deputy Chief Minister, Princess Diya Kumari.
She began by saying, “It’s heartening that Mr Ramesh Sippy is commencing 50th anniversary celebration of Sholay from Jaipur. I have seen films of Mr Sooraj Barjatya not once but many, many times. Woh Jaipur ke damaad hai (smiles)!”
She continued, “I don’t think that there’s any Hollywood film that can match Sholay or Hum Aapke Hain Koun! These films have created history.”
Diya Kumari then praised the owners of Raj Mandir, namely Vimal Chand Surana, Saurabh Surana and Laxmi Surana, “The Surana family and we go back a long way. I have not come here as Deputy CM. Main ek beti ki tarah yahan aayi hoon.”
She added, “I have many fond memories of Raj Mandir. The movies listed in an AV played some time back, I have seen all of them here that too repeatedly. The manager told me, ‘Aap yahan bahut baat aati thi aur bahut baar maine aapko box (balcony) mein bithaya hai’. At times, we didn’t get tickets in box. So, we used to sit in the stalls. Bolna nahin chahiye par bahut baar school bunk karke bhi yahan aaye hai!”
She also stated, “Raj Mandir is as significant a landmark of Jaipur as Amer Fort, Albert Hall Museum and City Palace. So many multiplexes have opened up but the uniqueness of Raj Mandir makes it stand out. I request the Surana family not to lose this uniqueness.”
Also Read: Sholay’s 50th anniversary celebration at Raj Mandir Jaipur: Sooraj Barjatya shares heartening anecdote about Salman Khan-starrer Maine Pyar Kiya: “Raj Mandir projectionist told me, ‘Aapka hero hit hai, aapka kabootar hit hai’!”
More Pages: Sholay Box Office Collection
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