What Was Yash Chopra's Net Worth?
Yash Chopra was an Indian film director and film producer who had a net worth of $50 million at the time of his death in 2012. Yash Chopra worked in Hindi cinema and was the founding chairman of the film production and distribution company Yash Raj Films.
Early Life
Yash Chopra was born Yash Raj Chopra on September 27, 1932, in Lahore, Punjab, British India, which is now Punjab, Pakistan. His father worked as an accountant in the PWD division of the British Punjab administration. Yash was the youngest of eight children, with his oldest sibling being nearly 30 years older than him. Chopra studied at Doaba College Jalandhar and originally was going to pursue a career in engineering. He later moved to Ludhiana, East Punjab in India after the Partition of India. His passion for film led him to travel to Bombay. He began working as an assistant director to I.S. Johar. Yash then began working for his brother, B.R. Chopra, who was a prominent director and producer.
Career
After working as an assistant for his brother, Chopra received his first directorial opportunity in 1959 with the social drama "Dhool Ka Phool," which was produced by his brother. The film was well-received by critics and became the fourth highest-grossing film of the year. He followed the film with another social drama, "Dharmaputra," in 1961. The film depicted the Partition of India and Hindu fundamentalism. Yash continued collaborating with his brother for the 1965 film "Waqt." The film became a critical and commercial success and featured a large ensemble cast of many prominent stars of the time. Chopra received his first Filmfare Award for Best Director for the film.
In 1969, Chopra directed two films produced by his brother. The first was "Aadmi Aur Insaan," and the second was "Ittefaq," a mystery thriller based on a play. The film was shot in only one month on a limited budget. It was one of the first Hindi films that did not have any songs and was deemed unusual by critics, though it ultimately proved to be a success.
In 1970, Chopra founded the independent Yash Raj Films, which allowed him to produce films without the help of his brother. His first independently-produced film, "Daag: A Poem of Love," came out in 1973. It was a commercial and critical success. He then directed a number of classic cult films like "Deewaar" and "Trishul," both of which starred actor Amitabh Bachchan. He then directed two more films with Bachchan, "Kabhi Kabhie" and "Silsila," both of which were musical romantic dramas.
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Chopra experienced a career setback in the 1980s when several of his films failed to perform well at the box office and did not impress the critics. However, this phase ended in 1989 when he released his highly successful romantic musical "Chandni." The film won the National Film Award for Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment. He followed the film with "Lamhe," which received widespread critical acclaim and was one of the biggest Bollywood hits in the overseas market. In 1992, he directed "Parampara." Though the film featured an all-star cast and Chopra's directing was commended, it was a commercial failure and panned by the critics.
In 1993, Chopra directed "Darr." The film was a runaway success and is considered a cult classic today. In 1997, Yash directed, produced, and co-wrote the romantic drama "Dil To Pagel Hai." It was the first Bollywood film to be shot in Germany and became the highest-grossing film of the year. Yash then took a sabbatical from directing and focused solely on producing films for over seven years.
Chopra returned to directing in 2004 with the epic love saga "Veer-Zaara." The film was the biggest hit of the year and was popular in both domestic and overseas markets. In September 2012, Yash announced in an interview that the film "Jab Tak Hai Jaan" would be his last directorial venture.
Chopra was the recipient of many awards and honors throughout his life. He was granted five honorary doctorate degrees from Guru Nanak University, Leeds Metropolitan University, Panjab University, the School of Oriental and African Studies, and Trinity College Dublin. He also won six National Film Awards and eight Filmfare Awards. For his contributions to film, the Government of India honored him with the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 2001 and the Padma Bhushan in 2005. In 2006, the British Academy of Film and Television Arts presented Yash with a lifetime membership, making him the first Indian to receive the honor.
Personal Life and Death
In 1970, Chopra married Pamela Singh. Together, they welcomed two sons – Aditya and Uday, born in 1971 and 1973, respectively. Aditya went on to become a film director and film producer and holds the position of chairman and managing director of Yash Raj Films. Uday became an assistant director before transitioning into work as an actor. He made his acting debut in the year 2000 in his brother's film "Mohabbatein."
On October 13, 2012, Chopra was diagnosed with dengue fever. He was admitted to Lilavati Hospital in Bandra, Mumbai. A week later, he passed away following multiple organ failure at the age of 80. His final rites took place at Pawan Hans crematorium the following day. A few days later, the Chautha ceremony for him was held at Yash Raj Films studio. The following year, the Yash Chopra Memorial Award ceremonies were instituted by the TSR Foundation. The awards ceremonies are held annually in Mumbai and feature awards to people in recognition of their outstanding contributions to the field of art and culture.
