Yash Chopra - Epitome of Romantic Drama

Yash Chopra, whenever I heard this name a scenic natural beauty use to pass through my mind, with a girl running through those fields waving her dupatta. A man who give Bollywood Romance genre a new definition, a new angle, a new face. Whose romance drama films never ends with The End caption. It mostly ends with caption like Love is Lifeor Love is Faith. Yesterday on 21, Oct 2012, he left us in the world full of hatred, violence & partitions of different kind.
I'm no one in front of him to say anything on his movies. I can't criticize him on any factors. I just want to pay my homage, kind of respect to the man who shows different form of passion to Indian cinema.

A man who provided some of the biggest classics, entertainers, blockbuster to the Indian Cinema.

Yash Chopra's list of contribution is too big. I haven't watched all of his directorial venture, but surely all the classics like Waqt, Deewar, Trishul,Kabhie-Kabhie, Silsila, Lamhe, Veer-Zaara and many more. All the films I have seen show different shades of life, love, relation & more importantly of Yash Chopra as a man.

He starts with Dhool Ka Phool & Dharamputra, first of the two shows Muslim upbringing of Hindu child & second shows the story revolving around partition & reversing the upbringing theme.

These films shows his pain which he suffers or sees in the time of partition or because of it.
He than give an all time blockbuster to Indian Cinema in form of Waqt. It is the biggest multi starer of it's time & the first film to laid the foundation of lost & found drama in Indian family. The formula which later capture by many directors especially Manmohan Desai to give some of the block buster like Amar Akbar Anthony…..etc

After these films he made films like Itefaaq, Daag etc which are hit or average at it's time. But in 1975 he came up with Deewar, according to me & several other people, his best film. Not only his it is one of the pioneering film in the history of Indian cinema. It strengthen the image of Bachchan as Angry Young Man more specifically. Until now he has 4 Filmfare awards in his kitty. After a stronger family drama he tried hands in romantic drama with Kabhie-Kabhie, which turned his movie making style completely. Though he made some more intense drama on different aspects but he become to known as King of Romance & title like that. He has made some more movie also involving romance like Daag etc but the way Kabhie-Kabhie shows this emotion, is spectacular. It's his best offering by him or anyone else in this genre He has changed the way romantic films used to be in India. Now there are no more flowers or candle came in between a kiss or a passionate scene. It is replaced with some great camera angle. He introduces the scenic beauty right from Kashmir to Europe (more specifically Switzerland). He brings the trend for foreign shootings. His romance films right after this used to have a kind of poetry in it, let it be Silsila or Chandani or Veer Zaara. He used to have very close frames in his movie. With mostly two characters & beautiful background. It increases the intensity of the scene.

After Kabhie-Kabhie he again shift back to family drama, with Bachchan in an angry mood with Trishul & social drama Kala Patthar both again a multi starer. Until now Chopra Sahab has develop some unforced love with some props he used in most of his movies. If he have character from military it should be from Air Force like Wahida's ex in Kabhie Kabhie, Shashi Kapoor in Silsila or Sharukh Khan in Veer Zaara. He surely have a Punjabi touch in his family from anywhere. He uses Punjabi folk songs mostly for marriage scene & celebration. He use to have an extra marital affair, mostly in way of love triangle not purposely except Silsila like in Daag, Chandani. Silsila also can't considered cent percent a movie based on cheating. Somehow he creates the environment for extra marital love. Love triangle become an important part of his romantic movie since then. Let it be in Chandani, Silsila, Darr, Dil To Pagal Hai, or yet to released Jab Tak Hai Jaan. After Silsila, & before Chandani he tries to create some more drama but he fails every time after that. Trishul is his last successful drama. He used to have a futuristic vision in his films. Lamhe is the sheer example of it. the whole movie is much ahead of its time. Previously also he used to show not so acceptable facts in his movie. But his simple story telling, which also binds it viewer is mesmerizing.

Pain is an important factor of his movie, whether from family or from love aspects. And to depict that pain he always use Urdu poets not any Lyricist. Sahir Ludhiyanvi used to pen his song & after him he introduces Javed Akhtar, a lyricist to the industry. He has some beautiful lyrical song in his films like Main Pal Do Pal Ka Shayar Hoon, Tu Hindu Banega Na Muslman Banega, Aage Bhi Jaane Na Tu etc.

He used to be a bit experimental in his composition department.He assigns Ravi the job of composition in start, than came Khayyam. Then he brings the duo of Shiv-Hari. He also uses tune of Madan Mohan posthumously. But every time the result is way above the appreciation. Some of his song is must in common man's marriage cassette like Saada Chiriyan Da, Sarke Sarke Chunariya, and Mere Haathon Mein Nau Nau Chooriyan Hai. Rang Barse becomes the anthem for Holi celebration. He uses similar crew & star cast. He works with Amitabh Bachchan, Shashi Kapoor, Sanjeev Kumar, Rakhi, Rajesh Khanna, and Anil Kapoor & Sharukh Khan regularly. He uses Kay Gee as a cinematographer in his most movies. Sagar Sarhadi as a screenplay writer. His wife Pamela Chopra contributes to his every film may be in screenplay, or with story or in playback. His rapport with his actor can be evident as his production house Yash Raj uses the prefix of Raj as a tribute to Rajesh Khanna. And he is the only who can bring Amitabh, Jaya, Rekha in one frame in a real life situation.He is respected & loved by one &…all.

His production house Yash Raj debut with Daag & goes on to make several hits with different persons on the Director's chair. Yash camp gives chances to lot of new talents through their production house. I have just discussed movie with Yash ji as a director. Yash ji as a producer is a long-long list. His last directorial venture is yet to released. He had announced his retirement someday back. Anyhow it has to be his last venture. But he has left behind a vast legacy of love, passion & emotions

Yash ji will be remembered for always as a great director, creator, & a great human being. He is an era in himself. He is a school.

Kabhie Kahie Itefaq se Waqt ki Deewar pe lage Daag ko kuchDharamputra apni Mashaal ki Chandni se roshan kar jate hai, par ye Silsila roj nahi hota.

Rest in Peace

Jaspal Bhatti- An Era of Satire & Wit

Whenever I hear the name Jaspal Bhatti, instantly the name Flop Show hits the mind. Whosoever remembers the Golden Era of Doordarshan, definitely remembers the show named as "Flop Show". If one is unaware of that era, then also he/she would be aware of the show because of its re run & universal acceptance as the best satirical show ever aired on Indian Television.

Just because Bhatti Sahab left the world today,

I don't want to say that I'm his huge fan or I have watched his every show or skid. But as I'm a 90's born & an avid fan of Old Doordarshan. That's why Flop Show is one of the few show, I have in my collection. It is a serial consisting of mere 10 episodes. But each episode is a gem in itself. The height of the popularity of the show & Bhatti Sahab can only be measured as two decade after its first run, it brings the same smile as it brings two decade before. Its humor is timeless. It's an instant hit, declared cult classic by its fans.

May be people will remember him as one of the biggest comedian of the country, but for me he is the biggest satirist country will ever produced. He has poker face, his humor used to be dry, yet effective. Can you imagine anyone who can mock his own show? The feature that makes Flop Show immortal is that it mocks its own show, cast & crew. Credits rolling as miss-directed by, over acted by, are unimaginable & unbelievable. It takes huge guts & courage to deliver such power pack package. He uses the same cast to play different character, including his wife to play the real life character on screen. Jaspal Bhatti uses music also as a weapon to make people laugh. Whether it's the opening song, which is same for every episode includes a barking dog or the ending song which is different for every episode but relevant to the story of episode. Most importantly the song used to be the parody of some old songs. He never uses double meaning comedy to make people laugh. He uses his comic timing to connect with the problems of the people & than make them laugh.

Apart from Flop Show I remember him as Jolly Singh in Fanaa & as Salman's PA in Janam Samjha Karo. He is a popular name in Punjabi films. I also came to know that he dies in the accident when he is coming back from the promotion of his latest movie Power Cut. The venture for his son's debut is yet to be released. Since last week, it's second incident of such mishappenings. 2-3 days back Yash Ji left us in the same scenario where his last film is yet to be released. But in this case of Bhatti Sahab is more unfortunate as he can't see his son's debut also.

 The man who makes world laugh gets a tragic end. He makes people cry who is his target. He is the face of India against Corruption much before anyone else. He is a regular face for social issue. His latest film also tackles the social issue of power failure. He has left a huge legacy, to be taken forward. Though he is irreplaceable, then also someone has to come forward to fulfill his dream. He is an engineer, cartoonist, comedian, satirist, actor, director and over all a good human being who cares for other human being. For me he will always be there as the Super Hero of a Flop Show

RIP