‘Mehndi lagake rakhna’: Destination wedding recreates ‘DDLJ’ in Kashmir

Srinagar, September 23: In a Bollywood-inspired spectacle reminiscent of the iconic Bollywood flick ‘Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge’ (DDLJ), Kashmir valley played host to a grand destination wedding, drawing high-profile guests from around the globe.

Raj Khandwala and Simran Sablok, based in Dubai, chose the locales of Kashmir valley as the picturesque backdrop for their nuptial celebrations. The couple christened their wedding journey with the hashtag #DDLJ2.

An organiser said the wedding events held earlier this week captured the ‘essence of Bollywood romance’ and around 400 guests from different countries attended it.  

“The wedding captured the essence of Bollywood romance that echoed Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol’s performances in DDLJ. It was a blend of tradition, glamour and cultural fusion. A gathering of 400 guests from India, Australia, UK, UAE and Africa attended the wedding extravaganza that blended classic Bollywood charm with the beauty of Kashmir. The groom wore a kurta that featured the iconic ‘DDLJ’ embroidery on the back. The DDLJ theme song from the blockbuster movie became the backdrop tune for the wedding video invitation, featuring a captivating shikara ride on the Dal Lake,” he said.

“To make their international guests feel at home and embrace the local culture, Kashmiri shawls were thoughtfully sourced for everyone to wear during the outdoor events. The festivities were nothing short of a cinematic spectacle. A traditional Sufi night was also held that featured a soul-stirring performance by well-known local singer Shafi Sopori,” he added.

Deputy Director Tourism Ahsan ul Haq Chisti said the department was actively promoting Kashmir as a wedding destination.

“The Department of Tourism in Kashmir has been proactively promoting the Valley as a premier wedding destination. Kashmir has already played host to quite a few destination weddings and more will be held in the future,” Chisti told The Kashmir Monitor.