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Legendary filmmaker Yash Chopra passed away at the age of 80 yesterday after suffering from dengue and organ failure. This happened just three weeks shy of the release of his last picture, Jab Tak Hai Jaan. It is a sad, sad time for generations of people in India and his patrons across the globe. Nevertheless, his legacy lives on through his cinema that redefined Hindi films. We bring you the top reasons we love Yash Chopra's movies.
He made us believe in love: The dream merchant's movies such as Silsila, Kabhi Kabhie, Chandni, Lamhe, Dil Toh Pagal Hai, and Veer Zaara redefined the meaning of romance in Indian cinema and made us believe in love in its purest, truest, ideal form.
His movies gave us music we cherish till this day: The music of Yash Chopra's films is full of evergreen melodies. He has collaborated with the likes of Shiv-Hari, Khayaam, Uttam Singh, Madan Mohan, and others to give us much-cherished songs. Songs that instantly come to mind are Dekha ek khwaab, Kabhi kabhie, Tu meri chandni, Kabhi main kahoon, Dil toh pagal hai, Tu hai meri Kiran, Do pal ki, and others. AR Rahman and Chopra collaborated for the first (and last) time on Jab Tak Hai Jaan and the music is making waves, especially the poem recited by Shah Rukh Khan.
His movies inspired us to take foreign vacations, especially to Switzerland: Yash Chopra is responsible for Bollywood's romance with foreign locations, especially Switzerland and The Netherlands. Dekha ek khwaab was shot at the famous Tulip Gardens in Holland. The Swiss Government also bestowed him with an honour a few years ago. In India, his beloved shooting spot was Kashmir and major portions of Silsila and Kabhi Kabhie were shot there. He believed in shooting at naturally beautiful places and capturing their beauty on film.
His leading ladies always looked sensual and feminine, never trashy: Every heroine wanted to work with Yash Chopra. It was a rare honour to work with him. Yash Chopra's heroines looked ethereally gorgeous - think Parveen Babi in Deewaar, Rakhi in Kabhi Kabhie, Rekha in Silsila, Sridevi in Lamhe and Chandni, Juhi Chawla in Darr, Karisma Kapoor and Madhuri Dixit in Dil Toh Pagal Hai, Rani Mukerji and Preity Zinta in Veer Zaara and now Anushka Sharma and Katrina Kaif in Jab Tak Hai Jaan. They wore white sarees and chiffon sarees and many danced in the rain to fiery instrumental music. It was done with immense grace and class. Chopra's movies also had strong and central female characters.
He brought together some of the best on-screen couples of all time: He managed what nobody else could. He brought Rekha, Amitabh Bachchan, and Jaya Bachchan together to share screen space in Silsila. Rekha and Amitabh Bachchan had sizzling chemistry in Silsila. He brought together Madhui Dixit and Shah Rukh Khan too in Dil Toh Pagal Hai, their most memorable film together.
His movies made the careers of mega stars like Shah Rukh Khan and Amitabh Bachchan: Amitabh Bachchan's owes a major chunk of his career and success to films like Deewaar, Trishul, and Kabhi Kabhie. Yash Chopra has made four hit films since 1993 and they all have been with Shah Rukh Khan. Yash Chopra has given SRK a negative role in Darr and intensely romantic roles in Dil Toh Pagal Hai, Veer Zaara, and Jab Tak Hai Jaan.
His movies inspired many a filmmaker: The King of Romance has inspired many new filmmakers such as his own son Aditya Chopra who has only made romantic movies like Dilwale Dulhanie Le Jayenge, Mohabbatein, and Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi. Through his cinema, the veteran filmmaker also laid the foundation for Karan Johar's larger-than-life movies like Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Kabhie Alvida Naa Kehna, Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham, and now Student of The Year. Imtiaz Ali, with hits like Jab We Met and Love Aaj Kal under his belt, is the King of Contemporary Romance and his role model is none other than Yash Chopra.
His movies produced some of the most memorable lines in Hindi cinema: Quote-worthy dialogues and lyrics are the forte of Yash Chopra's movies. Who can forget, "Aaj khush toh bahut hoge tum?" from Deewaar and "Kabhi kabhie mere dil mein khayaal aata hai..." from Kabhi Kabhie, "Main aur meri tanhai aksar yeh baatein karti hai..." from Silsila and "Kkk...Kiran!" from Darr.
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