As we celebrate the birth anniversary of the legendary director Yash Chopra let’s take a moment to reflect on a poignant instance from his last interview in 2012. During that conversation he openly expressed how his heart had signalled it was time to bid farewell to filmmaking. Renowned for revolutionizing romance in Indian cinema Chopra's final exchange with Shah Rukh Khan, the star of Jab Tak Hai Jaan continues to linger in the hearts of his admirers.
In a interview held in 2012 on his 80th birthday Shah Rukh Khan couldn't contain his curiosity as he inquired about the directors upcoming projects following Jab Tak Hai Jaan. Having formed a connection with Chopra throughout the years Shah Rukh voiced his eagerness to collaborate with him once more saying, “When is your next film? When is the next one? Because this has been a great experience, and I’d like to do it again.”
In reply Yash Chopra shared a poignant and contemplative response expressing that he had never approached life through meticulous planning but had instead trusted his instincts. During that candid moment Chopra opened up about how his intuition now indicated the conclusion of his filmmaking path saying, “Maine apni zindagi dil se bitayi hai. Jab mera dil kuch kehta hai, phir logon ki parwaah nahi karta. Ab mera dil kehta hai ‘bohot ho gaya’.” (I have lived my life following my heart. When my heart says something, I don’t care what others think. Now, my heart says, ‘I’ve had enough.’)
Yash Chopra, who was born in Lahore in 1932 now situated in Pakistan embarked on his journey to Mumbai after the Partition with just Rs 200 and a vision to create movies. While he initially aimed to pursue a career as an engineer his love for filmmaking ultimately prevailed. He began his career working as an assistant director under I.S. Johar and later collaborated with his brother the acclaimed B.R. Chopra.
Chopra’s extensive body of work consisting of over 50 movies across more than 50 years established him as a filmmaker in Indian cinema. While his initial films delved into a range of genres it was his love stories such as Silsila, Chandni, Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge and Veer Zaara that solidified his legendary reputation.
Chopra was celebrated for his opulent visuals showcasing extravagant settings and large-scale productions. His movies beautifully captured themes of love, emotion and aesthetics. His illustrious journey came to a close with Jab Tak Hai Jaan which hit theatres shortly after his death in October 2012 at the age of 80 due to dengue complications.
As people reflect on Yash Chopra's significant impact on the film industry his last words stand as a touching testament to a director who poured his heart into crafting enduring tales of romance that will echo through the ages.
