Goa: A wave of nostalgia swept through the Kala Academy campus on Tuesday evening as PictureTime’s inflatable theatre erupted with cheers the moment Simran ran into Raj’s arms. Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol’s timeless classic Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge made its first-ever mobile cinema debut at the 56th International Film Festival of India (IFFI), drawing a houseful audience and transforming the venue into a stadium-like celebration.
PictureTime Digiplex—known for bringing cutting-edge inflatable cinemas across the country, especially in underserved regions where theatres cannot reach—has set up a state-of-the-art theatre at the prestigious Kala Academy campus for the 2025 edition of IFFI in Goa.
The Aditya Chopra-directed romance was among the festival’s marquee screenings and drew an overwhelming response, with all 130 seats sold out well before showtime.
Couples, families, schoolchildren and even on-ground security personnel packed the theatre, with many experiencing DDLJ on the big screen for the first time. Whistles, applause and shout-outs punctuated the screening as the audience relived some of Indian cinema’s most beloved moments.
“We anticipated strong interest, but witnessing the inflatable theatre turn into a stadium was extraordinary,” said Surajit Roy, COO & President, PictureTime. “The show went houseful within minutes. People of all ages were laughing, singing, and saying the dialogues in unison. This is exactly what PictureTime strives for—bringing the magic of the big screen to everyone, everywhere.”
Beyond DDLJ, PictureTime’s inflatable theatre at IFFI also hosted screenings of two more Shah Rukh Khan classics—Darr and Chak De! India—as well as a diverse slate including Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s 12th Fail, the Malayalam blockbuster Manjummel Boys, Rajkummar Rao’s Srikanth, Rani Mukerji’s Mrs. Chatterjee vs Norway, Sooraj Barjatya’s Uunchai, Mira Nair’s Salaam Bombay! and Irrfan Khan’s Qissa among others.
