It is one thing to see Switzerland in a Yash Chopra film, it is another thing entirely to see that country with the big daddy of Bollywood himself
It is one thing to see Switzerland in a Yash Chopra film. It is another thing entirely to see that country with the big daddy of Bollywood himself. The diehard romantic, who has just been honoured as the ambassador of Interlaken and even had a deluxe hotel suite and a swish Jungfrau Railways train named after him, looks back on his almost six decade long journey with Hindi films and romance:
Who: Yash Chopra
What: Recapping his six decade long journey
Where: Interlaken, Switzerland
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Swiss kiss
It has been a long journey. However, I never imagined that my ambition would bring me this far, give me so much. This honour is not mine alone though. It also belongs to India and its people. Destiny has played a big role in my life and career. Sometimes I wonder if I deserve all this love and adulation. The Swiss people have always been very kind and cooperative. I fell in love with this country when I first saw it as a tourist. I shot Faasle, my first film here in 1984 and I must say I still find this country as fascinating.
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Taking off
I started as an assistant apprentice to my elder brother, B R Chopra with a salary of '150 per month. He was quite against me joining films (smiles). But I was determined to be a brilliant director like him. I read a lot of poetry ufffd Faiz Ahmed Faiz, Nida Fazli ufffd ever since my college days. I would watch so many films. In those days, poet and lyricist Sahir Ludhianvi was a good friend and I would carry his book in my pocket all the time. I was a complete romantic.
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Romance trance
Romance is not about sitting in candlelight and saying I love you. But one doesn't say nice things just to please someone. And believe it or not, it is not something that fades; it lives forever. It is first and foremost about honesty; it has to be genuine. Our notion of romance, however, keeps changing over the years. Today, after so many loving years with Pam (wife), it also means comfort, dependence. Our bond is much purer and stronger than it used to be in our younger days. So I guess I'm still what they call a romantic (laughs).
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