A filmmaker transcends boundaries, surpasses eras and redefines cinema. Yash Chopra just did that. And yet, to survive with a glimpse of fortitude requires ability and a deep understanding of the connoisseur.
Hailed as the ‘Baadshah’ of romance, my picks would surprise almost many as I believed in his more rustic approach of filmmaking which depicted some magical characters that ever got created on silver screen.
My famed line up of Yashji isn’t a tribute but a celebration of the pentagon-ist whose acclaim stood by times with flair.
* Waqt
A multi star cast with actors like Raajkumar and Sunil Dutt, Waqt was a sure shot churner. A blockbuster with a jaw dropping amalgamation of drama and a preach of social viagra, it still remains his old-chick-off-the-block flick. Bollywood saw the emergence of Yash Chopra.
* Mashaal
Another YC classic that gave away from Bollywood’s conventional rosewood type scripts to a rebellious background that showcases a gunner youth being disciplined by his mentor. Not at his superstar best, but Yusuf ‘Dilip Kumar’ Khan gave a memorable act of valour and Anil Kapoor arrived. In many ways, it remains YC’s path breaking film in terms of treatment in adversity.
* Ittefaq
A raunchy thriller, I find this one to be one of the most interesting films made from YC’s stable. A hatke genre for Rajesh Khanna, it had the svelte Nanda in a glamorous role with dark punches that wooed the audiences with twists and turns in ample. A personal favourite.
* Deewar
The film that probably and by all means, changed Hindi cinema forever. Romance was thrown out of the window and in came gangsters with guns of baron. AB’s signal of domination, Salim- Javid’s scripted mania and Yash Chopra’s mercurial direction made a cult classic out of this Haji Mastaan inspired semi biopic. I still get goosebumps when I watch it in my solemn premises and can’t stop raving. My big buck pony :)!
* Kala Patthar
A film that I consider to be ahead of its time, it was a bold appeal that portrayed the state of affairs in our factory led movements of anti industrialisation slogans. Beautifully penned and knock out performances from its lead actors make this one of the finest from YC’s consulate.
* Silsila
The big daddy of romance. Flowers, Swiss Alps, a suave Bachchan, ravishing Rekha and a relationship that played havoc in 4 lives. Silsila had it all with a stunning intensity that seldom embraces a love story. It bombed at the BO but I loved it with all the oomph of condemned modality.
* Darr
For me, this was SRK’s big ticket to super stardom (before DDLJ surfaced). At a time when Bollywood started venturing in to new age cinema, Darr came up with a loony-toony who looked handsome, proved to be obsessive and could scream for his girl from no where. SRK loses ‘Kiran’ but walked away with the cake and the accolades. I love Darr for its chartbusters (Jadu Teri Nazar still remains a regular in my playlist) and a pretty Juhi Chawla.
@Lifeoholic 