Yash Chopra facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Yash Chopra
Chopra in 2012
Born	Yash Raj Chopra (1932-09-27)27 September 1932 Lahore, Punjab, British India (present-day Punjab, Pakistan)
Died	21 October 2012(2012-10-21) (aged 80) Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
Nationality	Indian
Occupation	Film director producer
Years active	1959–2012
Organization	Yash Raj Films
Spouse(s)	Pamela Singh ​ (m. 1970)​
Children	Aditya Chopra Uday Chopra
Relatives	See Chopra family
Honours	Padma Bhushan (2005)
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Yash Raj Chopra (born September 27, 1932 – died October 21, 2012) was a famous Indian film director and producer. He worked in Hindi cinema. He started the film company Yash Raj Films.

Chopra won many awards for his work. These include 6 National Film Awards and 8 Filmfare Awards. Many people think he was one of the best Indian filmmakers ever. He was especially known for his romantic films. The Government of India gave him the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 2001. This is a very high honor in Indian cinema. In 2005, he received the Padma Bhushan award. In 2006, the British Academy of Film and Television Arts gave him a special lifetime membership. He was the first Indian to get this award.

Chopra began his career helping other directors. He worked with I. S. Johar and his older brother, B.R. Chopra. His first film as a director was Dhool Ka Phool in 1959. It was a drama about a child born outside of marriage. He then directed Dharmputra (1961), a social drama. Chopra became very well known after directing Waqt (1965). This family drama was very successful. It was one of the first Bollywood films to use many main actors, called an ensemble cast.

In 1970, he started his own company, Yash Raj Films. Their first movie was Daag: A Poem of Love (1973). This was a successful drama about a man with more than one wife. Chopra continued to have success in the 1970s. He made some of Indian cinema's most famous films. These included the action-thriller Deewaar (1975). This film made Amitabh Bachchan a huge star. He also made the musical romantic drama Kabhi Kabhie (1976). Another hit was the family drama Trishul (1978).

Chopra worked with actress Sridevi on two of his best films. These were the romantic musical Chandni (1989). This film helped bring back romantic musicals in Bollywood. He also made the musical romantic drama Lamhe (1991). Many critics and Chopra himself thought this was his best work. After a less successful film called Parampara (1993), Chopra directed Darr (1993). This was a musical thriller and his first film with Shah Rukh Khan.

Chopra directed three more romantic films, all starring Shahrukh Khan. These were Dil To Pagal Hai (1997), Veer-Zaara (2004), and Jab Tak Hai Jaan (2012). He announced his retirement from directing in 2012. Sadly, he passed away from dengue fever while Jab Tak Hai Jaan was still being made. He is remembered as one of Bollywood's greatest directors.

Early Life and Beginnings

Chopra with his brother B. R. Chopra in 2007.

Yash Chopra was born on September 27, 1932, in Lahore. At that time, Lahore was part of British India. He came from a Punjabi Hindu family. His father worked as an accountant. Yash was the youngest of eight children. His oldest brother was almost 30 years older than him. The famous filmmaker B. R. Chopra was one of his older brothers.

Yash Chopra grew up mostly in his brother B. R. Chopra's house in Lahore. His brother was a film journalist. In 1945, Yash continued his education in Lahore. He studied at Doaba College. He first wanted to become an engineer. After India was divided, he moved to Ludhiana in India.

His love for filmmaking led him to Bombay. There, he first worked as an assistant director for I. S. Johar. Then, he worked for his brother, B. R. Chopra. Another brother, Dharam Chopra, worked as a cameraman for them.

Starting His Directing Career

Chopra got his first chance to direct in 1959. This was for the film Dhool Ka Phool. His older brother, B.R. Chopra, produced it. The film was about a Muslim man raising a Hindu child who was born outside of marriage. Critics liked the film, and it was very successful.

After this success, the Chopra brothers made another drama, Dharmputra (1961). This film was one of the first to show the Partition of India. It also showed Hindu extremism. The film won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Hindi.

Chopra continued to work with his brother. In 1965, they made Waqt. This film had many famous actors like Sunil Dutt and Shashi Kapoor. Waqt was a big hit with both critics and audiences. It was known for starting the "lost-and-found" film style. It also helped make films with many stars popular in Bollywood. Chopra won his first Filmfare Award for Best Director for Waqt.

In 1969, Chopra directed two more films for his brother. One was Aadmi Aur Insaan. The other was Ittefaq (1969). Ittefaq was a mystery thriller. It was filmed quickly and on a small budget. This film was special because it had no songs or an intermission. It was a moderate success and won Chopra his second Filmfare Award for Best Director.

Founding Yash Raj Films

Chopra with actor Amitabh Bachchan in 2009.

In 1970, Yash Chopra started his own film company, Yash Raj Films. He stopped working with his brother. His first film as an independent producer was Daag: A Poem of Love (1973). This drama was about a man with more than one wife. It was a huge success. Chopra won his third Filmfare Award for Best Director for Daag.

He directed many classic films starring Amitabh Bachchan. These films were written by Salim–Javed. Two famous ones were Deewaar and Trishul. These movies were very popular and are still loved today. They helped make Bachchan famous as the "angry young man" in films. Chopra won his fourth Filmfare Award for Best Director for Deewaar.

Chopra also produced, directed, and wrote two more films with Bachchan. These were romantic musicals. Kabhi Kabhie (1976) starred Raakhee, Shashi Kapoor, and Rishi Kapoor. Then came Silsila (1981), with Jaya Bachchan and Rekha.

The 1980s were a difficult time for Chopra. Several of his films did not do well at the box office. His film Mashaal (1984) was his first with the legendary actor Dilip Kumar. This action film was praised by critics but only did average business. A year later, he made Faasle. This romantic drama was not successful. Chopra and critics consider it his weakest film. Vijay (1988) also failed at the box office.

Chopra's tough period ended in 1989 with the very successful romantic musical Chandni. This film had all the things Chopra was known for: a focus on the female lead, romance, strong emotions, rich lifestyles, and beautiful music filmed in foreign places. It was his first time working with Sridevi. The film's music was a huge hit. It helped bring back romantic musicals in Hindi films. The success of Chandni made Sridevi a top female star. Chopra often filmed in Switzerland, and this film made it a popular place for Indian tourists. Chandni won the National Film Award for Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment.

He then made Lamhe (1991). This was a romantic drama starring Sridevi and Anil Kapoor. The film received great reviews and had amazing music. It was a huge hit overseas. However, it did not do as well in India because of its unusual story. Lamhe won five Filmfare awards, including Best Film. Over the years, Lamhe has become a classic. Many see it as one of his best films. Chopra himself said it was his favorite. In 1992, Chopra directed Parampara. Despite having many stars, this film was not successful and received poor reviews.

Later Career and Success

Chopra with actor Shahrukh Khan in 2012.

In 1993, Chopra directed the musical thriller Darr. It starred new actor Shah Rukh Khan, along with Juhi Chawla and Sunny Deol. The film was about an obsessed lover (Khan). He would do anything to get the girl (Chawla), who was already engaged. Darr was a huge success and is now a classic. It was one of the highest-grossing Hindi films of 1993. It also made Shahrukh Khan a big star.

Four years later, Chopra directed, produced, and co-wrote the very successful romantic drama Dil To Pagal Hai (1997). It again starred Shahrukh Khan, along with Madhuri Dixit, Karisma Kapoor, and Akshay Kumar. This was the first Bollywood film to be shot in Germany. The film was the highest-grossing movie of the year. It won many awards, including 8 Filmfare Awards and 3 National Film Awards. After this, Chopra took a break from directing for seven years. He focused only on producing films.

In 2004, he returned to directing with the epic love story Veer-Zaara. It starred Shahrukh Khan, Preity Zinta, and Rani Mukerji. This film was the biggest hit of 2004 both in India and overseas. It earned over 940 million Indian Rupees worldwide. The film was shown at the Berlin Film Festival and received good reviews. It told the love story of an Indian air force officer (Khan) and a Pakistani woman (Zinta). Critics loved the film.

In September 2012, Chopra had a special interview with actor Shahrukh Khan. It was for Chopra's 80th birthday. During this interview, Chopra announced that Jab Tak Hai Jaan (2012) would be his last film as a director. He said he wanted to focus on his production company and his personal life. He planned to shoot the last song for Jab Tak Hai Jaan in the Swiss Alps. He wanted to show Katrina Kaif dancing with Shahrukh Khan. But he became ill with dengue fever, and the song could not be filmed as planned.

Yash Raj Films (YRF) is now a very important film company in Hindi cinema. Yash Raj Chopra's films have often been among the top hits in India since 2000. He worked with many different directors. He also often used popular Bollywood actors like Amitabh Bachchan and Shahrukh Khan.

Yash Raj Films has helped Bollywood movies become popular around the world. They have expanded their company from local Hindi films to global successes. They have attracted both Indian audiences and Indians living abroad. Yash Raj Films used a clever idea by filming in foreign locations. This helped make their movies very popular.

Frequent Collaborators

Chopra often worked with the same actors in his films. Some of his most famous collaborations were with Amitabh Bachchan, Sanjeev Kumar, Amrish Puri, Prem Chopra, Shashi Kapoor, Rishi Kapoor, Raakhee, Rajesh Khanna, Sunil Dutt, Anil Kapoor, and more recently, Shahrukh Khan.

Personal Life

In 1970, Yash Chopra married Pamela Singh. They had two sons, Aditya Chopra and Uday Chopra. Aditya Chopra was born in 1971, and Uday Chopra was born in 1973. Aditya Chopra is also a film director and producer. He is now the chairman and managing director of Yash Raj Films. Uday Chopra started as an assistant director and later became an actor. He made his acting debut in his brother's film, Mohabbatein, in 2000.

Death

Chopra on a 2013 Indian stamp.

On October 13, 2012, Yash Chopra was diagnosed with dengue fever. He was admitted to Lilavati Hospital in Mumbai. On October 21, he passed away due to multiple organ failure. He was 80 years old. His funeral was held on October 22, 2012. A special ceremony for him was held at the Yash Raj Films studio on October 25, 2012.

Awards and Honors

Chopra with his wife Pamela Chopra in 2011.

Yash Chopra received many awards and honors throughout his career.

Other Recognitions

• 2005: Padma Bhushan, one of India's highest civilian honors.
• 2006: Punjab Rattan, Punjab's highest civilian honor.
• 2008: France's Legion of Honour.
• 2009: Pusan International Film Festival – Asian Filmmaker of the Year.
• 2010: Honored by the Swiss Government for showing Switzerland in his films.
• 2001: Dadasaheb Phalke Award, the highest honor in the Indian film industry.
• 2006: Received a lifetime membership to BAFTA. He was the first Indian to get this honor.
• 2010: Swiss Ambassador's Award for promoting "Brand Switzerland" through his movies.
• 2011: Honored with the title of Ambassador of Interlaken.
• 2013: Awarded "Father of Contemporary Indian Cinema" at Indian Film Festival of Melbourne (IFFM).
• 2013: A postage stamp with his picture was released by India Post to honor him.

Honorary Degrees

• 2004: Received an honorary doctorate from Guru Nanak University, Amritsar, India.
• 2007: Received an honorary doctorate from Leeds Metropolitan University in Yorkshire.
• 2008: Received an honorary doctorate from Panjab University, Chandigarh, India.
• 2010: Received an honorary doctorate from the School of Oriental and African Studies.
• 2012: Received an Honorary Professorship from Trinity College Dublin.

Yash Chopra Memorial Award

The Yash Chopra Memorial Award was started in 2013. It honors his memory and is given to people who have made great contributions to art and culture.

See also

In Spanish: Yash Chopra para niños