Bollywood’s ace filmmaker Yash Chopra is no more. The writer, director & producer was suffering with dengue fever and was admitted to Mumbai’s Lilavati Hospital last Saturday. Mr Chopra (80) breathed his last at around 5.30 PM this evening while undergoing treatment for his illness. His body will be cremated on Monday afternoon at south Mumbai’s Chandanwadi crematorium. He is survived by his wife Pamela and two sons Aditya and Uday.
Yash Chopra started his film journey as an assistant director for the film ‘Ek Hi Rasta’ in 1956, later turned director with the film ‘Dhool Ka Phool’ in 1959 and directed number of films including some super duper hits like ‘Deewaar’, ‘Kabhi Kabhie’, ‘Trishul’, ‘Kaala Pathar’, ‘Silsila’, ‘Chandini’, ‘Lamhe’, ‘Dil To Pagal Hai’, ‘Veer-Zaara’, etc. Besides directing films, he established his own production house 'Yashraj Films' and became the ace producer in Bollywood.
Yash Chopra was called as King of Romance in Bollywood as he delivered beautiful romantic entertainers like ‘Kabhi Kabhi’, ‘Noorie’, ‘Silsila’, ‘Chandini’, ‘Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge’, ‘Dil To Pagal Hai’, ‘Mohabbatein’, ‘Saathiya’, ‘Hum Tum, ‘Fanaa’, ‘Bunty Aur Babli’ ‘Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi’ and the list goes on. He also produced films from other genres like ‘Trishul’, ‘Kaala Pathar’, ‘Lamhe’, ‘Dhoom’, ‘Veer-Zaara’,’ Tara Rum Pum’, ‘Jhoom Barabar Jhoom’, ‘Salaam Namaste’, ‘Dhoom 2’, ‘Chak De India’ and the recent blockbuster ‘Ek Tha Tiger’.
The veteran director cum producer won several prestigious national and international awards in his 57 years of film career. He was honoured with India’s highest civilian award Padma Bhushan in 2005. Similarly he received the Dr Dadabhai Naoroji Millennium Lifetime Achievement award as well as the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 2001. His last film as a director was ‘Jab Tak Hai Jaan’, which is expected to release for Diwali.
The entire Indian film fraternity mourns at the death of Yash Chopra. Ragalahari prays for him to rest in peace and expresses sincere condolences to Mr Chopra’s family.
