Yash Chopra

Yash Chopra, a living legend of Indian popular cinema, dons multiple hats as a director, producer and the founder of one of the most successful indigenous film studios in India “Yashraj Films”, modeled on Hollywood.

Born on 27th September 1932, Yash Chopra started his career as an assistant to his brother, B. R. Chopra, a noted filmmaker. Yash Chopra's early films included ‘Waqt' (1965) and ‘Deewaar' (1975), two of the classics of Hindi popular cinema.

'Daag' (1973), 'Kabhi Kabhie' (1976), 'Kaala Patthar' (1979), 'Silsila' (1981), 'Chandni' (1989), 'Darr' (1993), 'Dil To Pagal Hai' (1997) and 'Veer-Zaara' (2004) are some of the highly successful movies which Yash Chopra has directed.

Mr. Chopra was awarded Padma Bhushan in 2005, one of India's highest civilian award. He is the only Indian film producer and director to receive the BBC Asia Award twice, in 1998 and 2001.

He was also featured in the The British Film Institute‘s “World Directors Series”. He received Dadasaheb Phalke Award for 2001, the highest Indian honour in the field of Indian cinema.

For his outstanding contribution to Indian Cinema, he was conferred with Honorary Doctorate in 2004 by the Guru Nanak University, Amritsar (India); then in 2007 by the Leeds Metropolitan University (UK) and in 2008 by the Panjab University, Chandigarh (India).

His “Veer-Zaara” was selected at the 55th Berlin International Film Festival in 2005 and he was invited as a member of the International Jury of the 56th Berlin International Film Festival in 2006.

He was the first Indian ever to be honoured by BAFTA (British Academy of Film and Television Arts) in 2006.  He was also honoured in the UK at The House of Lords and House of Commons in 2007.

He was conferred the Zenith Asia Honour for his contribution to Indian cinema at the National Film Archive of India in November 2007.  He was bestowed with France's highest civilian award, the “Officier de la Legion d' Honneur” (Officer of the Legion of Honour) in Delhi in 2008.