JEWELS OF JALANDHAR
Here we will be profiling some of unknown jewels as well as internationally recognised jewels of Jalandhar . If you want to see someone's profile who has contributed to Jalandhar's fame or has been instrumental in betterment of society, please email us admin@jalandhari.com Thanks
Jewel of Week Jewels Profiled Earlier
Yash Chopra
“I was a student of Doaba College and have
been a regular visitor to the city. My relatives live here. All I can
say is that I love Jalandhar.”
— Yash Chopra,
Filmmaker
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.
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 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.
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 | ||
| 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 |