Raj Kapoor is the only other director who had such a long and successful career in Bombay films. As actor, director, producer and founder of his own studios he was on top for forty years. How does he compare to his friend, and fan, Yash Chopra? Yash Chopra of course has never acted but there are many similarities; from Punjabi film dynasties, having a great understanding of music, creating teams of production and creative work, having heroines as central features. Yet there are great differences. Raj Kapoor often wanted to make social comment in his film, while Yash Chopra's films concentrate on the interior, emotional struggles. Raj Kapoor's heroine was often overshadowed by an often juvenile man while Yash Chopra's heroine is the centre of the film. I think many of Yash Chopra's depictions of romance are a development of Raj Kapoor's ideas, especially the inner strength of the female character while the men are often weak.
To return to 1989, a whole spate of romantic, musical films was released after the phenomenal success of Maine Pyar Kiya. Cheap music on T-Series allowed music to reassert its position as a key contributor to a film's box office success. New stars arrived to take the new roles: Aamir, Salman and Shah Rukh; Juhi, Madhuri while Sri Devi continued her reign. Yash Chopra's films continued to stand apart. Lamhe was a critical success with its strong acting, glamorous locations, high production values and great music. It was perhaps the first of the 'diaspora' films (i.e. films about Indians living abroad). Darr was one of several films in which Shahrukh played a negative hero. Yet this film was unique and perhaps dangerous, in that it showed a lover obsessed and deluded to the point of madness, liable to arrest for his harrassing the innocent girl, yet he became the film's hero leaving the viewer ambivalent about the morality of the film and the limits of desire.
A crucial change in film viewing of Bombay films occurred in 1994 when Sooraj Barjatya introduced the policy of 'video holdback'. When he released Hum Aapke Hain Kaun, he released only one initial print with seats selling at the then unheard of price of Rs 100. This publicity stunt aroused great curiousity and as he released the film at a few more theatres, demand exceeded supply. When the film came out on general release and was not available on video, the audience thronged to the cinemas. The unprecedented success of this film meant that big-budget films were once again commercially viable.
In the 1990s it has become almost impossible to depict romance on the screen without referring to Yash Chopra. Sometimes it is pastiche (see 'Choodi baji hai' in Aziz Mirza's Yes Boss!), but it is also because this has become the definitive way of portraying a woman and a romantic situation. Yash Chopra's older son, Aditya, released his first film, Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge, in 1995. A huge success at the box office, it showed clear marks of a Yash Chopra film in the romantic scenes, although having its own unique quality. The great success of Kuch Kuch Hota Hai(1998, director- Karan Johar) shows how important Yash Chopra has become to the younger generation of filmmakers. This film pays tribute to him and to Pamela Chopra in its credits and the stamp of the Yash Chopra film is clear to see, along with references to the teen romance via Bobby and Sooraj Barjatya's movies.
The best place to see the other side of the young cool film is, surprisingly, Yash Chopra's own Dil To Pagal hai. The new hip style is seen at its most extreme to date in the scenes with Karisma Kapoor and the theatre group, where the old American musical, is updated by a bit of 'Friends' and lots of Bombay style. The Yash Chopra romantic touches are kept for Madhuri, who dances kathak, wears chiffon Indian clothes, but even she barely gets a love song. The music, despite its lack of lovesongs, was an unprecendented success but initial reports suggested Yashji had lost his touch with this 'plotless' movie. However, it soon became a cult. The age of the director and the singer (Lataji) proved that you must be young, as well as crazy, at heart.
The younger generation knows Yashji's work from Chandni onwards. I think it is time to reassess his earlier films. Dhool Ka Phool seems quite old-fashioned now but films like Waqt remain as fresh as ever with its hip songs and stylish clothes. Daag still shocks and Kabhi Kabhie remains one of the definitive romances in Indian film history and Silsila seems to belong more to the present than the past. Maybe it is time for a reassessment for these films and a possible release on DVD?
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- This profile is an extract from Rachel Madeline Jackson Dwyer's biography on Yash Chopra.