B. R. Chopra | |
|---|---|
 Chopra on a 2013 stamp of India | |
| Born | Baldev Raj Chopra (1914-04-22)22 April 1914 |
| Died | 5 November 2008(2008-11-05) (aged 94) Mumbai,Maharashtra, India |
| Occupations |
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| Years active | 1944–2006 |
| Spouse | Prakash Chopra |
| Children | 3, includingRavi Chopra |
| Relatives | SeeChopra-Johar family |
| Honours |
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Baldev Raj Chopra (22 April 1914 – 5 November 2008)[1] was a prolific Indian director and producer noted for pioneering theHindi film industry and television series. He's known for directing notable films, such asAfsana,Ek Hi Raasta,Naya Daur,Sadhna,Kanoon,Gumrah,Hamraaz,Dhund,Pati Patni Aur Woh,Insaf Ka Tarazu andNikaah.[2][3][4] He also produced hit films, includingDhool Ka Phool,Waqt,Ittefaq,Aadmi Aur Insaan,Chhoti Si Baat,The Burning Train,Aaj Ki Awaaz,Baghban and the TV series,Mahabharat.[5][6] He was awardedDadasaheb Phalke Award, India's highest award in cinema, for the year 1998, andPadma Bhushan, India's third highest civilian award, in 2001.
His younger brotherYash Chopra, sonRavi Chopra and nephewAditya Chopra are also directors in theBollywood industry. His nephewUday Chopra is an actor and producer.
Chopra was born on 22 April 1914 inRahon, Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar district (formerly Nawanshahr district) to Vilayati Raj Chopra, an employee of the PWD. He later shifted toLahore. He was the second of several siblings; his youngest brother was filmmakerYash Chopra.[7]
Chopra received an M.A. in English literature fromUniversity of the Punjab inLahore. He started his career in 1944 as a film journalist withCine Herald, a film-monthly published inLahore, he later took over the magazine and ran it until 1947.[8] In the same year, he launched a film with a story byI. S. Johar,Chandni Chowk. Naeem Hashmi was hero of this movie and Erika Rukhshi was the heroine. Just as the production of film was to start, riots broke out inLahore and he and his family had to flee from the city. After thepartition of India intoIndia andPakistan in 1947, he moved toDelhi. He later moved toMumbai, where his first production,Karwat, began in 1948, though it turned out to be a flop. His first film as a director,Afsana, was released in 1951 and featuredAshok Kumar in a double role – the film was a hit and established his name inBollywood. Chopra madeChandni Chowk, withMeena Kumari as a lead, in 1954. In 1955, Chopra formed his own production house,B.R Films. His first movie for this production house wasEk Hi Raasta (1956) which was highly successful. He followed it up withNaya Daur (1957) starringDilip Kumar andVyjayantimala Bali, the film became a golden jubilee hit.[9][10] His subsequent releases likeKanoon withRajendra Kumar,Gumrah andHamraaz withSunil Dutt were major hits in the sixties. In 1963, he was a member of the jury at the13th Berlin International Film Festival.[11] His second film with actor Dilip Kumar wasDastaan which became a flop in 1972.
He directed successful film across genres after 1972, with films like suspense thrillerDhund (1973), dramaKarm (1977), comedy filmPati Patni Aur Woh (1978), crime film inInsaf Ka Tarazu (1980), Muslim social inNikaah (1982) and the political thrillerAwam (1987).
He was the producer for the filmsDhool Ka Phool (1959),Waqt (1965),Aadmi Aur Insaan (1969) andIttefaq (1969) directed by his younger brother Yash Chopra, and he also producedThe Burning Train (1980),Mazdoor (1983),Aaj Ki Awaaz (1984),Baghbhan (2003),Baabul (2006),Bhoothnath (2008) which were directed byRavi Chopra.
Chopra forayed into television withMahabharat, which become the most successful TV serial with a 92% viewer record in Indian television history, whereNitish Bharadwaj played the role ofKrishna andMukesh khanna portrayed the role of Bhishma. This was co-directed by him with his son. He also produced TV Series onBahadur Shah Zafar,Kanoon,Vishnu Puran,Aap Beeti andMaa Shakti.
He died inMumbai at the age of 94 on 5 November 2008,[12] survived by his son,Ravi Chopra, and two daughters Shashi and Bina.[13]
| Year | Title | Director | Producer | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1949 | Karwat | No | Yes | |
| 1951 | Afsana | Yes | Yes | [20] |
| 1953 | Shole | Yes | No | |
| 1954 | Chandni Chowk | Yes | No | |
| 1956 | Ek Hi Raasta | Yes | Yes | |
| 1957 | Naya Daur | Yes | Yes | |
| 1958 | Sadhna | Yes | Yes | |
| 1959 | Dhool Ka Phool | No | Yes | [21] |
| 1960 | Kanoon | Yes | Yes | |
| 1961 | Dharmputra | No | Yes | |
| 1963 | Gumrah | Yes | Yes | [22] |
| 1965 | Waqt | No | Yes | [23] |
| 1967 | Hamraaz | Yes | Yes | |
| 1969 | Aadmi Aur Insaan | No | Yes | |
| 1969 | Ittefaq | No | Yes | [24] |
| 1972 | Dastaan | Yes | Yes | |
| 1973 | Dhund | Yes | Yes | [25] |
| 1975 | Zameer | No | Yes | |
| 1976 | Chhoti Si Baat | No | Yes | |
| 1977 | Karm | Yes | Yes | |
| 1978 | Pati Patni Aur Woh | Yes | Yes | |
| 1980 | The Burning Train | No | Yes | |
| 1980 | Insaf Ka Tarazu | Yes | Yes | |
| 1981 | Agni Pareeksha | No | Yes | |
| 1982 | Beta | No | Yes | |
| 1982 | Nikaah | Yes | Yes | |
| 1982 | Teri Meri Kahani | No | Yes | TV Film |
| 1983 | Mazdoor | No | Yes | |
| 1983 | Dharti Aakash | No | Yes | TV Film |
| 1984 | Aaj Ki Awaaz | No | Yes | |
| 1985 | Ghazal | No | Yes | |
| 1985 | Tawaif | Yes | No | |
| 1986 | Kirayadar | No | Yes | |
| 1986 | Dahleez | No | Yes | |
| 1986 | Bahadur Shah Zafar | Yes | Yes | TV Series[26] |
| 1987 | Awam | Yes | Yes | |
| 1988 | Mahabharat | No | Yes | TV Series[27] |
| 1991 | Mahabharat Katha | Yes | Yes | TV Series |
| 1991 | Pratigyabadh | No | Yes | |
| 1992 | Kal Ki Awaz | No | Yes | |
| 1992 | Sauda | Yes | Yes | TV Series |
| 1993 | Kanoon | Yes | No | TV Series |
| 2000 | Vishnu Puran | No | Yes | TV Series |
| 2002–2004 | Ramayan | Yes | Yes | TV Series |
| 2001–2004 | Aap Beeti | No | Yes | TV Series |
| 2002–2003 | Ma Shakti | Yes | Yes | TV Series |
| 2003 | Baghban | No | Yes | |
| 2004 | Kamini Damini | No | Yes | TV Series |
| 2006–2007 | Viraasat | No | Yes | TV Series |
| 2006 | Baabul | No | Yes |
This BR Chopra directorial was based on the Christie play, The Unexpected Guest, and featured Sanjay Khan, Zeenat Aman, Danny Denzongpa, and Ashok Kumar, among others. The story is about a car-wrecked stranger knocking on the door of a damsel-in-distress who has just shot her husband. On hearing her sad tale of woe, the stranger decides to help her escape punishment.
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