When one thinks of romantic Bollywood movies, the first name that comes to mind is Yash Chopra — the king of theatrical romance. This film-maker has made us laugh, grin and even cry with his heartfelt and memorable films.
Whether it was Silsila, Dil To Pagal Hai or Veer-Zara, he redefined Indian cinema with his antics and thought-provoking storylines. In Karan Johar’s Kal Ho Naa Ho, for instance, there is a sequence where people from different walks of life are asked about what they feel love is; when they were asked “pyar kia hai”, one music shop owner smiles and says: “Pyar…pyar Yash Chopra kay geet hein.” With Bollywood nearing a 100 years of success in 2013, it can easily be said that 50 years of its existence belongs to Chopra.
Providing Indian cinema with remarkable films — a combination of mesmerising tunes and touching lyrics, a storyline which could make your heart weep and introducing great actors — was Chopra’s forte. His contributions will never be forgotten and will be cherished for years to come as there will only ever be one king of romance.
Whether it was gifting the audience with an actor as magnificent as Big B in Zanjeer, who plays the role of an angry young man, or whether it was bringing King Khan into the mainstream through Darr — where Shahrukh plays the role of an obsessed lover — this filmmaker has played against the odds and taken massive risks. Through films like Darr, he not only transformed the simplicity of a love triangle into a frenzied manic-filled love fiasco but also added the quality of being “a diverse actor” to Shahrukh’s resume.
As far as the music in his films in concerned, he has provided some of the most timeless and romantic numbers. The funny thing, however, is that the songs remain in the minds of the audience as “Yash Chopra’s music” instead of being known by the composer’s name; from the iconic ballad “Kabhi Kabhi Mere Dil Mein Khayal Ata Hai” from the ‘70s film Kabhi Kabhie to Dil To Pagal Hai’s title track “Dil To Pagal Hai” in the ‘80s to “Do Pal” from his last mega hit Veer-Zara where he recreated the music of late Madan Mohan.
With the departure of Chopra, Bollywood has lost an auteur of the highest class — someone who had the power to make you cry with his dialogues or make you laugh with his wit and humour in both real and reel life — qualities directors only dream of possessing. While Karan Johar says he was nothing less than a second father to him and Javed Akhtar termed him as a timeless story-teller, one of the youngest actors in Bollywood, Ali Zafar also shared a moment with the film-maker and wishes there were plenty more he could reminisce about.
“The first time I met Yashji was at YRF Studios’ cafeteria where the first thing he said to me was: ‘Kheer try karo, bohot mazay ki hai [try the kheer, it’s delicious]’. His warmth was infectious and his aura was audible,” Zafar told The Express Tribune, recalling that one moment he shared with Chopra. “I will never forget his words of appreciation at the success party of Mere Brother Ki Dulhan — he also explained the various methods and moods applied by actors such as Dilip sahab, Bachchan sahab and Ashok Kumar when they would prepare themselves for a scene.”
He then added, “He [Chopra] had a universe of love inside him, a part of which we got to see on screen as well. He was also more active compared to young people working in the studios. I can’t believe he’s gone — it’s a big loss. I am saddened. I wish I could at least have one more conversation with him.”
After working relentlessly in the film industry, Chopra had officially retired from the shoes of a director after his last film Jab Tak Hai Jaan starring Shahrukh Khan, Anushka Sharma and Katrina Kaif; the first and last time the film-maker collaborated with AR Rahman for the music. Unfortunately the finest story-teller of Bollywood couldn’t live to see his last project unfold in front of billions of fans around the globe. The fans in Pakistan, on the other hand, might not even get a chance to enjoy the film on big screen as rumour has it that the film might just be banned in the country.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 23rd, 2012.
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