It might sound unbelievable but just like old wine, SRK and Kajol’s blockbuster film Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (DDLJ) keeps getting better and better with each passing year. This month- February 2010, DDLJ has set yet another record by completing 750 weeks of continuous play. In a feat perhaps unmatched anywhere in the world, the magic of the evergreen romance keeps pulling audiences back to the Maratha Mandir theatre in Mumbai.

Directed by Aditya Chopra, DDLJ opened to full houses and rave reviews all over the world way back on 20th October 1995.

This evergreen Yash Raj Film remains the longest running film in the history of Indian cinema, as it passes one milestone after another, and is presently running in its 15th year of running. Source

It may be hard to believe but theatre occupancy for  My Name is Khan dipped to 30 to 35 per cent in weekdays after 90 to 100 per cent occupancy over its release weekend. The movie had attracted considerable pre-release publicity owing to a decision by the Shiv Sena not to allow its screening in Mumbai and Maharashtra as a fallout of comments Shah Rukh made about hiring Pakistani players for his Kolkata Knight riders cricket team.

“The movie did very well on the weekend due to the curiosity factor, with virtually packed houses, but weekday collections fell to around 35 per cent,” said a senior executive of BIG Cinemas which has exhibition halls across the country. “It is still holding on in the metros but is falling in the non-metros and smaller cities because of the serious nature of the movie and the subject. We hope it will pick up again this weekend,” he added.

The movie deals with the struggles of a Muslim boy, who suffers from autism, in the US post 9/11. Confirming the drop in hall occupancy, Vishal Kapur COO of Fun Cinemas, said, “The movie is suited for a multiplex audience rather than single screens and that is where it has lost out.” Weekday occupancies for My Name is Khan are much lower than it was for 3 Idiots,  he added. Source

King Khan Shah Rukh Khan’s latest film My Name is Khan has become the most successful Bollywood film in British box office history. The film garnered 887,198.98 pounds (Rs 64.4 million / $1.4 million) in its opening weekend. The movie shot to number six in the British box office countdown, making My Name is Khan the highest grossing Bollywood film opening ever in Britain, reported a website. Source

Again Shahrukh Khan has proved beyond doubt that he is the Badshah of Bollywood in overseas, the actors clout among international audience, Karan Johar & Fox had created Box Office history, MNIK has smashed all previous international box office records to record the highest-ever opening for a Hindi film worldwide.

The positive word in India is also gaining momentum as the movie is now touted to break the record of ‘3 Idiots’ set just six weeks ago.

When ‘3 Idiots’ opened, everybody believed that it will take years for anybody to surpass this record but within a span of 6 weeks, Bollywood Badshah Shahrukh Khan has roared in. Considering the limited release in Maharashtra, Gujarat and parts of Madhya Pradesh on Friday, MNIK’s worldwide box office collections was 25 crores on the opening day. This is the highest ever collections for a non-holiday Friday in Bollywood history. Trade estimate that it could have easily earned an additional 5-6 crores if it had been released normally across India.

Worldwide Records More

The SRK fans had not slept all night to keep their places in the queue despite the sub-zero temperature in Berlin. Those who arrived at 6 a.m. were in tears. The online tickets for the superstar’s own people who phoned the Berlinale authorities five minutes after ticketing opened were told they were way too late. The film’s tickets were auctioned on e-Bay for 1,000 euros (about Rs.60,000) each.

Jenny Watkinson, assigned the ‘Shah Rukh Khan department’ in the International Relations office of Dieter Kosslick, Berlin film festival director, told IANS: “I’ve never seen anything like it. This year it’s expected to be even bigger than in 2008 (during ‘Om Shanti Om’). The online tickets for ‘My Name is Khan’ were sold out in five seconds.”

The film premieres in Berlin Friday with a red carpet at the prestigious Berlinale Palast theatre on Potsdamer Platz. Everyone was wondering if Shah Rukh Khan and team would be in Berlin, given that the anti-Muslim Shiv Sena vandalised Mumbai theatres where advance bookings of the film opened because Shah Rukh said that Pakistani players should also participate in the Indian Premier League. More

The lady behind the badshah Gauri Khan came out in full support of her husband as she watched the movie in Mumbai’s Fun Republic cinema. Talking to the media, Gauri Khan said, “‘My Name Is Khan’ is a beautiful film and everybody should go and watch it.” When enquired of SRK’s reactions, a beaming Gauri said, “Shah Rukh Khan and Karan are very happy that everyone has come and watched ‘My Name Is Khan.’”

Incidentally, Shiv Sena is opposing the film`s release after Shah Rukh refused to apologise for saying that Pakistani cricketers should have been included in the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) cricket matches.

Earlier, despite the ongoing Shiv Sena rampage in Mumbai, all major multiplexes in the city opened counters for bookings and screening of the Shah Rukh Khan starrer ‘My Name Is Khan’. 10 multiplex owners in Mumbai decided to go ahead with the screening while the single screen theatres have decided against showing the movie for the time being, fearing violence. More

Unbelievable response marked the limited release of Shah Rukh Khan-starrer “My Name Is Khan” in 13 cinema halls in Mumbai even as the Shiv Sena continued its protest against the film across Maharashtra. Shiv Sainiks attempted to disrupt the screening of the film at all the 13 cinema halls here despite heavy security arrangements. The film was originally scheduled to be released in 63 movie halls in this metropolis. Most of the cinema owners backed down after threats from Shiv Sena which is protesting Shah Rukh’s comments seeking inclusion of Pakistani cricketers in this year’s edition of the Indian Premier league (IPL).

Police baton charged Sena supporters at K-Star mall in Chembur and pushed back activists attempting to barge inside Fun Republic mall in Andheri West to disrupt the screening of the film Friday afternoon. The movie opened to a full house in Fun Republic shortly after noon though its first scheduled show at 9.30 a.m. was cancelled. In Dadar, former Lok Sabha speaker and ex-chief minister Manohar Joshi was prevented from disrupting the screening of the movie. Similar scenes were witnessed outside all 13 cinema halls where the film finally released Friday after days of uncertainty.

In a bid to boost public confidence and save the government’s image, Chief Minister Ashok Chavan, state Home Minister R.R. Patil and Minister of State for Home Ramesh Bagwe purchased tickets and watched the movie at INOX cinema in south Mumbai. INOX cinema also got a house full response to the film. More

Here’s how different cities across India greeted the film My Name Is Khan:

Delhi: Shiv Sainiks attacked the Satyam cinema hall in Janakpuri in Thursday night. Some hoardings of Shah Rukh Khan were burnt at Nizamuddin also last night. Bookings for the film, though, have been good in Delhi and it released per schedule.

Kolkata, Bangalore: In cities like Kolkata and Bangalore, fans have ensured packed shows, stressing that they want to support Shah Rukh Khan for having the courage of his convictions, and for refusing to apologize to the Shiv Sena.

Ahmedabad: In Ahmedabad, there was a brief scare after the Vishwa Hindu Parishad threatened to attack cinemas showing the film. The first show at all theatres was cancelled, but after reassurances by the state government, the second show rolled out on schedule.

Gurgaon: The first show of My Name is Khan began at 10 am Gurgaon’s Ambience Mall.

Chandigarh: The film is running to packed houses in the city though multiplexes have increased security. Source

Things are not well for the release of Shah Rukh’s film ‘My Name is Khan’, which is set to hit theatres on February 12. The Shiv Sena has retracted from its earlier statement in which it had proclaimed that it will not stall the release of the ‘traitor’ SRK’s film. Senior Shiv Sena leader Manohar Joshi has announced that they will not let the film release at any cost.

Earlier in the day, Shiv Sena activists attacked several theatres that will screen `My Name Is Khan`, barely an hour after Mumbai Police assured full security at the 63 cinemas and multiplexes that will showcase the movie. Sena mobs attacked and damaged the booking windows of the Mehul Theatre in Mulund and staged noisy protests outside Shreyas Theatre in Ghatkopar, both in the suburbs, officials said.

Groups of Sena activists were also seen protesting and shouting slogans in Kanjurmarg, Bandra, Khar and other parts of the city even as police promised tough measures to prevent any untoward incident during the release of the film directed by Karan Johan and also starring Kajol. While 12 Sena activists were nabbed from Mulund, 24 were detained in Ghatkopar and Kanjurmarg in connection with the protests. More

Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray called Shahrukh Khan ‘a traitor’, but said that Sena will not block screening of SRK’s film.

In an editorial in Sena mouthpiece Saamna on Saturday, Thackeray said: “Sometimes we feel why are we doing all this? How do we awaken this Congress party? That’s why we have decided rule the way you want to. You have come to power using the machinery. Hence we are aware of how far reaching your power. You are using and will continue to use your power to brutally attack the Shiv Sena, Shiv Sainiks and Saamna. This is how you rule. So go ahead. Let Pakistani cricketer play anywhere they want in the country. Let Australia continue attacking Indians. Let Pakistan continue 26/11 like attacks anywhere in India. Let Shah Rukh Khan show his film My Name Is Khan without security,” Thackeray said.

“Traitors, with the blessings of the Congress, go ahead; the Shiv Sena will not block you. Why our Shiv Sainiks should be beaten up and arrested?” he added. Source