Published 12:42 IST, September 27th 2020
As YRF marks 50 years on Yash Chopra's birth anniversary, Aditya Chopra pens moving note
As YRF marked its 50-year-milestone on Yash Chopra's birth anniversary, Aditya Chopra penned a note on how their journey started, before attaining big success.
Sunday marked the 88th birth anniversary of Yash Chopra, but that was not the only occasion of the day. His company Yash Raj Films also entered the 50th year of its operation. The legendary filmmaker’s son Aditya Chopra penned a heartfelt note on ‘trying to figure out’ what was the reason for the success of the banner in becoming ‘biggest film company of the Indian Film industry.’
Aditya Chopra pens note on 50-year milestone of Yash Raj Films
With ‘yrf50’ on top and a small photo of Yash Chopra and Aditya seemingly discussing a scene, at the bottom right, the latter penned this note.
In the note, Aditya Chopra wrote how 50 years ago, his father had left his brother BR Chopra’s company to form his own company. He added that despite no knowledge of business, he went ahead with belief in his talent and hardwork and dream to be self-reliant. With Rajkumar Studios’ V Shantaram offering him a small room to launch his company, Aditya Chopra marvelled at how the tiny room today had gone to become the ‘biggest film company of the Indian Film industry.’
Aditya Chopra recalled his own personal experience by turning a filmmaker with the blockbuster Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge in 1995 and how the success of the film gave him the ‘confidence to give wings to some crazy risky ideas.’ He also remembered how the next phase involved the advent of international corporate studios ‘taking over’ their business and how Yash Chopra ‘bravely indulged all’ of his son’s ‘bold initiatives’. This he claimed saw them move from a ‘film production house to India’s first fully integrated independent film studio.’
Aditya Chopra termed YRF a company that blended traditional values and modern ideas and technology, and how this combination went on to define Yash Raj Films.
The Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi director then ‘tried to figure out’ what was the secret of their success, whether it was the ‘creative genius of Yash Chopra’, ‘audacious vision of his 25 year old upstart son’ or ‘plain luck’. He asserted that it was none of the above, and credited the people who had worked with YRF. He added that it took him 25 years to figure out that it was the actors, directors, writers, musicians and technicians and other employees responsible for the success.
Aditya Chopra also wrote that it was the Indian film industry that allowed a ‘self-made man to create a self-reliant truly independent studio of the world.’ Calling the success of Yash Raj Films as the success of the film industry he conveyed his gratitude to the film industry where he met ‘most wonderful, talented and beautiful.’
Yash Raj Films’ journey
Yash Chopra had established his legacy with hits like Daag, Deewaar, Kabhie Kabhie in the ‘70s before giving more hits like Chandni, Dil Toh Pagal Hai and Veer-Zaara towards the latter part of his career. The filmmaker had passed away less than a month before his last film Jab Tak Hai Jaan released in November 2012. Apart from helming hits like DDLJ, Mohabbatein and Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi, Aditya Chopra, as a producer, has delivered blockbusters galore, be it the ‘Tiger’ & ‘Dhoom’ franchises, Sultan, or the recent War, to name a few.
Updated 12:42 IST, September 27th 2020