Born on 27th September 1932, in Jalandhar (Punjab), Yash Chopra is undoubtedly India's most successful film-maker. With a career spanning over five decades, he has been associated with almost 35 films, most of which have created box-office history.
He started out as an assistant to his brother and went on to direct 5 very successful films for his brother’s banner - B.R.Films. These were Dhool Ka Phool (1959), Dharmputra (1961), Waqt (1965), Ittefaq (1969) & Aadmi Aur Insaan (1969). He has wielded the baton, additionally, for 4 films made by other film companies - Joshila (1973), Deewaar (1975), Trishul (1978) & Parampara (1993). But his greatest repertoire of work has been around 30 films made under the auspices of his own company, YASH RAJ FILMS. Out of these, he has directed 12 films himself, while the others have been directed by younger directors – under his supervision and administrative acumen as one of India’s greatest producers.
Arguably he can be called India’s most successful confluence of creativity and administrative genius - as he dons his two hats - as a director and a producer.
As a director his speciality has been romance - he possesses a rare aesthetic knack of making his films look larger than life. His hallmark has always been the presentation of his screenplay embellished with gorgeous locations, snow-capped mountains, lakes and rivers, beautiful women draped in the most gorgeous costumes amidst fields of flowers - sights that he paints with his visual imagery. Love and romance inevitably happen to his characters who have become icons for film buffs. Yash Chopra is reputed to make his characters look the most gorgeous in his films - whether he works with a well-known star
or a newcomer, they have never looked so visually appealing as in his films. His sense of music, an integral part of Indian cinema, is renowned - musical scores from his films have become the largest selling albums in Indian film history.
Yash Chopra was one of the first directors to shoot his films out of India and Switzerland, Holland, Germany and the United Kingdom have become even more popular with the Asian population, who have been enamoured by the locales in Yash Chopra’s films. In fact, a lake in Switzerland has been unofficially named ‘The Chopra Lake’ because of the way he has used it in films. Yash Chopra has been honoured by The Swiss Government for rediscovering Switzerland and was presented a special Award by Ms. Ursula Andress on behalf of the Swiss Government.
As a producer he has lent the largest canvas to his films. He has never fought shy of adventuring into bold and controversial themes. His films have always had a message and have never failed to bring either a smile to the lips or a tear in the eye of the viewers. Yash Chopra is probably the only film-maker whom the older generation proudly blesses and the younger generation looks up to for blessings.
He has groomed various young talents through his films - as a director, his son Aditya Chopra, has been his most significant contribution. He has brought in new composers through his films, new singers, and new acting talent. To be a part of a YRF film is a dream for any talent in India - creative or technical.
With his vast years of experience in the entertainment business, Yash Chopra is indisputably the leader of the Indian Film industry. Every Institution wants him to be on their board or advisory committee and he lends his advice whole-heartedly in his quest
to better the administration and recognition of the Indian entertainment industry - poised for a major take-off. The corporatization of Indian entertainment, which is currently at its peak, will never forget its debt to the pioneering legend, Yash Chopra. He is currently on the Advisory Board of the Information & Broadcasting Ministry of the Government of India.
He is the Founder Trustee of Film Industry Welfare Trust established in the year 1996.
He is the Vice President of the Film Producers' Guild of India since the last 10 years.
He is the only Indian Film Producer and Director to receive the BBC Asia Awards twice - in 1998 and 2001 for his outstanding contribution in films.
He is the recipient of the Dr. Dadabhai Naoroji Millennium Lifetime Achievement in 2001.
He is the recipient of Certificate of Recognition from the British Tourist Authority and British Film Commission for promoting tourism in the UK through his films.
He is the recipient of the Vocational Excellence Award by the Rotary Club.
He has been awarded Outstanding Achievement Awards by the apex bodies of Indian Industry - like the CII (Confederation of Indian Industry). He is currently the Chairman of the Entertainment Committee of FICCI (Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry) - the Apex Business Organisation of India.
He was honoured by the IIFA (Indian International Film Awards) at Malaysia for his outstanding contribution to Indian Cinema.
The British Film Institute handpicked Yash Chopra for a book written by Dr. Rachel Dwyer in their 'World Directors Series'. This book was launched amidst great fanfare in London and showcases the glorious 5-decade career of Yash Chopra. The book, ‘Yash Chopra’ was also released in New Delhi by the then Information & Broadcasting Minister Mrs. Sushma Swaraj and in Mumbai by Dilip Kumar, Amitabh Bachchan & Shah Rukh Khan.
He was honoured by NAASCOM (National Association of Software and Service Companies) and AIAI (All India Association of Industries) for his outstanding achievements.
He has also been awarded the prestigious Priyadarshini Award for his outstanding contribution to Indian Cinema. This award was presented to him by the then Deputy Prime Minister Mr. L.K.Advani.
He was also chosen for the prestigious Dadasaheb Phalke Award for 2001, the topmost and the highest honour given by the Government of India to a member of the entertainment fraternity.
His company, Yash Raj Films was also awarded the Golden Peacock National Quality Award for outstanding achievement in pursuit of Total Quality Management in the Entertainment Sector for the year 2002.
He was also honoured with the 'Teachers 2003 Outstanding Achievement Award'.
He was also felicitated at the Indian Film Festival 2003, in Kuala Lumpur, for his outstanding contribution in films.
The Guru Nanak University, Amritsar, India, has conferred upon him an Honorary Doctorate (Doctor Of Philosophy – Honoris Causa) in 2004 in recognition of his stature as a leading luminary of India.
He was honoured with the prestigious "Lifetime Achievement Award" at CineAsia 2004 held at Bangkok, Thailand in December 2004, and was the first Indian ever to be honoured at CineAsia.
Above all, India’s ace director recently offered a new love legend VEER-ZAARA, after a gap of 7 years, which released worldwide on 12th November 2004. Indeed, he is one of the only stalwarts from his generation whose creativity is in tandem with today’s generation of viewers.
Yash Chopra’s Veer-Zaara also got the prestigious recognition of being selected as one of the films screened at the 55th Berlin International Film Festival, in the "International Forum of New Cinema" section, in February 2005 in Berlin, Germany.
After winning heartsof people in major parts of the world, Yash Chopra’s Love Legend, Veer-Zaara also didn’t fail to cast its magical spell on Germany.
Yash Chopra was honoured with a major award presentation at the 5th Annual Marrakech Film Festival in November 2005. He joined Martin Scorsese and Dame Judi Dench in being honoured by His Royal Highness, Prince Moulay Rachid at the Royal Palace. His film, Veer-Zaara was screened to an unprecedented crowd who gave him a standing ovation.
Veer-Zaara was also honoured with the National Award for “Best Film for providing popular and Wholesome Entertainment”, and also almost swept all major award ceremonies of the year, including every “Best Film” Award.
Yash Chopra was one of the eminent Indians in 2005 selected for the coveted Padma Bhushan Award, one of the country’s highest civilian honours bestowed for the year 2005 by the Honourable President of India, Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam.
Yash Chopra was invited as Guest of Honour for the 2005 Convocation ceremony of the Kanya Maha Vidyalaya – one of the oldest institutions for Women education in India. He joined the ranks of many great Indian stalwarts like Lala Lajpat Rai, Dr. Radha Krishnan, Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, Dr. Rajinder Prasad, Mr. Morarji Desai, Mrs. Sarojini Naidu and Mrs. Indira Gandhi, who have been invited to this illustrious institution.
Yash Chopra was awarded the “Superbrand Award” for 2005 by Superbrands International, a worldwide organisation operating in 44 countries, which exists to promote the discipline of brand management and pay tribute to exceptional brands. The Superbrand Award is considered to be the Oscars of Brand Management, and is the Global Benchmark of Brand Management.
Yash Chopra was felicitated at the MTV IMMIES 2005 with the “Inspiration Award” for his contributions to Indian Music in his career spanning 5 decades. The Award was presented to him along with international music sensation and superstar Ronan Keating.
Yash Chopra was honoured at the 2nd Dubai International Film Festival 2005, along with the Egyptian comedy superstar Adel Imam, and the Oscar Winning actor Morgan Freeman as the Asian, Arab and Hollywood honorees in the Festival’s “In the Spotlight” program, for their distinguished service to the film industry.
Yash Chopra is the only film-maker to have won the National Award six times. He has won the Filmfare Awards nine times, the only living director to have won nine times and various other Association Awards innumerable times.
NATIONAL AWARDS
YEAR FILM AWARDS
1962 DHARMPUTRA President's Gold Medal
1989 CHANDNI National Award for "Best Film for Providing popular and Wholesome Entertainment"
1994 DARR National Award for "Best Film for Providing popular and Wholesome Entertainment
1995 DILWALE DULHANIA LE JAYENGE National Award for "Best Film for Providing popular and Wholesome Entertainment"
1997 DIL TO PAGAL HAI 3 Awards incl. National Award for "Best Film for Providing popular and Wholesome Entertainment
2004 VEER-ZAARA National Award for “Best Film for Providing popular and Wholesome Entertainment”
FILMFARE AWARDS
YEAR FILM AWARDS
1965 WAQT 4 Awards including Best Director
1969 ITTEFAQ Best Director
1973 DAAG 4 Awards including Best Director
1975 DEEWAAR 7 Awards including Best Director
1991 LAMHE 5 Awards including Best Director
1995 DILWALE DULHANIA LE JAYENGE 10 Awards including Best Film
[The largest number of awards ever won by any film]
1997 DIL TO PAGAL HAI 7 Awards including Best Film
2000 MOHABBATEIN 4 Awards
2004 VEER-ZAARA 4 Awards including Best Film
Personal Quotes
"We're making all kinds of films - English, Hinglish, sex, horror... this and that. It's a healthy trend. But for a film to run it has to have Indian values. For a film to be a blockbuster it has to be rooted to our culture."
"I'm the sentimental sort. I cry easily. I cry when I see poignant films made by other directors."
"You can always make a good film but for it to be successful, you need God's blessing."
About Veer-Zaara (2004): "Though it's a film about cross-border love, there isn't a word of politics in it. Forget politics, there isn't slap, not even a raised voice in Veer-Zaara (2004). It's a very intense, humane and emotional story. Veer-Zaara (2004) is a humble tribute to my home in Punjab. It's my tribute to the one-ness of people on both sides of the border. Every religion preaches peace. Then why the bloodshed for the sake of religion? Why are we destroying each other?"
"I always believe that my films should give some hope to the man who comes to watch them for those three hours. If he goes home on an optimistic note, I would feel satisfied at having done my duty."
"Films have been my only passion in life. I have always been proud of making films and will continue taking pride in all my films. I have never made a movie I have not believed in. However, though I love all my films, one tends to get attached to films that do well. But I do not have any regrets about making films that did not really do well at the box office."
On singer Lata Mangeshkar: "Lataji has always been so kind to me. She can never say no to me. As long as I am there and she's there she'll continue to sing for my films. When others sing they follow music, but when she sings, music follows her. I truly believe that. When she sang for Dhool Ka Phool (1959) the first film I directed, I was in awe of her. Today I'm much closer to her. But the awe remains."
The reason for his seven-year hiatus in direction: "My son Aditya made Mohabbatein (2000), which took a lot of time and energy. Then we started looking for a script for me to direct. Nothing seemed to excite us both. There's a complete bankruptcy of screenwriting in our cinema. I wanted a very earthy and Indian subject. I was tired of the promos on television. With semi-clad girls, they all looked the same. Of course Dhoom (2004) has them too. But I'd personally not make a film like that."
"Relationships interest me because man is one creature who is capable of sane as well as insane behaviour. It's this nature of human beings that inspires and gives room for innumerable plots. Like in _Daag (1973)_, Raakhee, who played the other woman, created all the drama, as did Rekha in Silsila (1981). In Aaina (1993) it was the jealous sister while in Darr (1993) it was the obsessive lover. So unlike other movies where a villain is added to create the problems, in my films villainy is substituted by a third angle."
Some Historinic Moments
In the 1980s, Chopra went through a rough time. Two of his melodramas, Silsila (1981) and Faasle (1985); and two action-oriented films, Mashaal (1984) and Vijay (1988), flopped at the box office, although the latter became a critically acclaimed classic years later. However, he made a comeback with his musical love triangle Chandni (1989). The film was a huge success, with great performances by established heroine Sridevi and action hero Vinod Khanna. Then came what critics and Chopra himself considered his best film, Lamhe (1991), a beautiful film about cross-generational love. It couldn't survive the box office, however, due to its incestuous nature.
Parampara (1992), done for an outside producer, was a misfire, but then came the box-office hit and trend setter Darr (1993). Starring the then-débutant Shahrukh Khan, it showed a sympathetic look at obsessive love and an emotion often overlooked in love--fear--and its success catapulted Khan to super-stardom. In 1995, Chopra turned to production and Aditya Chopra made his directorial debut with Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (1995), which had the longest-running initial release in cinema history. He directed one more film, Dil To Pagal Hai (1997), a love story set against the theater, which became a huge success and a cult hit, before he retired from directing. However, in 2004, he made a grand comeback with Veer-Zaara (2004), a touching cross-border love story, which he said would be his last directorial effort.
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