Creative entrepreneur

Soon after the much loved and admired Yash Chopra was admitted to Mumbai's Lilavati hospital ,the industry grapevine was abuzz with reports of his rapidly deteriorating health. It was testimony to his resilience and popularity that nobody took these whispers too seriously. Everyone was confident that Chopra as always, would bounce back to good health and release his forthcoming film Jab Tak Hai Jaan with great aplomb. After all, he had roped in top drawer stars like Shah Rukh Khan, Katrina Kaif and Anushka Sharma along with Oscar winning duo Gulzar and A.R. Rahman!

Unfortunately, it was not to be. Chopra breathed his last on October 21, 2012. Looking back at the long innings spanning 50 years he played, one can't help but come away impressed with his achievements - 22 films as director and 40 plus titles as producer, the only privately owned studio, India's largest distribution house with a presence in movies, music, merchandise, print media, television and home entertainment!

Much has been said about Chopra as the King of Romance, but to box his triumphs as just that would be unfair.

Among his multitudinous contributions were timeless creations such as the Angry Young Man in films like Deewar and Trishul (with co-creators Salim -Javed) reflecting the nation's anti-establishment anger, women in chiffon saris cavorting in the Swiss Alps and Yash Raj studio model. Chopra's pioneering efforts were in the space of subject, presentation and enterprise. He consolidated the business aspects of film-making in a way that no other director has so far. In the Screen C-fore Survey 2011, Yash Chopra was voted the most powerful director-producer in terms of creativity, star power and strategy with 26 per cent of the total votes. Yash Raj Films was also voted the best production house when it came to delivering blockbusters to the audience!

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