Yash Raj Chopra is one of the most celebrated Indian movie directors. He is one of the popularly acclaimed screenplay writer, producer and among the successful Bollywood directors. He delivered some outstanding work in the seventies when he teamed up with Bollywood actor Amitabh Bachchan and went on to make one hit movie after another. His movies contain all the ingredients of a hit movie- a mix of love stories, beautiful locales, catchy music and the reigning starts of the film world.

Early Life of Yash Chopra
Yash Raj Chopra was born on 27 September 1932 in Lahore. He is the son of Vilayati Raj Chopra and the younger brother of B.R. Chopra. He began his movie career by starting out as an assistant to I. S. Johar. Later he went on to direct the movie Dhool Ka Phool under his brother Baldev Raj Chopra`s banner B.R Films. He went on to direct 5 films under the banner of BR Films: Dhool ka Phool (1959), Waqt (1965), Ittefaq (1969), Aadmi aur Insaan (1969) and Dharmaputra.

Soon after this, he went on to put up his own production house, Yash Raj Films, and Daag was the first movie which he made under his production house in the year 1973. Yash Raj Films is one of the most prominent banners in the Indian film industry today.

Works of Yash Chopra
As a director his specialized field is romance. The hallmarks of all his films are larger than life sets, stunning foreign locations and his women leads are extremely gorgeous. His films are visually appealing and flawless.

The earliest works of Yash Chopra were under the banner of his brother, B.R. films. The first movie under the banner of Yash Raj films, Daag, was a major hit with the movie goers. It was an adaptation of Hardy`s Mayor of Casterbridge, starring Rakhi, Sharmila Tagore and Rajesh Khanna. He won the Filmfare Best Director Award for this movie.

The movie parade of the seventies saw a string of movies starring the superstar Amitabh Bachchan and all of these proved major hits with the audiences. Some of the most memorable movies during this time were Deewar, Kabhie Kabhie etc. Kaala Pathar (1979) was an average success.

A number of sensitive themes were also dealt with by Chopra in his later works. One of the most successful movies of the 1980`s was Silsila, starring Amitabh Bacchan, Jaya Bachchan and Rekha. It centred on an extramarital affair and was very close to the real life situation in the lives of these actors. In Lamhe, Chopra handled a sensitive issue about an age-gap relationship. Even though the movie did not meet with much critical success it was critically acclaimed and went on to win the Filmfare Best Movie Award. Chandni (1992) was another super hit movie about moving past obstacles and moving on with life. The movie starred Sridevi and Rishi Kapoor. The movie Darr (1993) launched Shahrukh Khan as a star in Bollywood and an actor of great caliber. The movie Dil Toh Pagal Hai, starring Shahrukh Khan, Karisma Kapoor and Madhuri Dixit was a top grosser and won the Filmfare Best Movie Award. He directed Veer-Zaara in 2004, starring Shahrukh Khan and Preity Zinta about star crossed lovers and hoe they are ultimately destined to be together after a lot of trials and tribulations.

A number of directors have worked under the banner of Yash Raj Films and a number of super hit movies have been churned out by them. These films include Dilwaale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge, Saathiya, Dhoom, Dhoom 2, Chak De India, Salaam Namaste, Bunty aur Babli, Fanaa, Aaja Nachle, Tashan, Thoda Pyaar Thoda Magic and several other films. Today this production house is also looked after by Aditya Chopra, his son.

Till date there are very few directors in Indian cinema that had epitomised romance in a way he did. It is he who established the trend of shooting films outside the country. Never before had a director presented the themes of love and beauty so aesthetically. Actors, like, Amitabh Bachchan, Rakhi, Rekha, Shashi Kapoor, Rishi Kapoor, Shahrukh Khan and Rani Mukherjee owe their career best films to Yash Chopra.

Awards and Achievements of Yash Chopra
Filmfare Awards
* 1965, Filmfare Best Director Award, Waqt
* 1969, Filmfare Best Director Award, Ittefaq
* 1973, Filmfare Best Director Award, Daag
* 1975, Filmfare Best Director Award, Deewar
* 1991, Filmfare Best Movie Award, Lamhe
* 1995, Filmfare Best Movie Award, Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge
* 1997, Filmfare Best Movie Award, Dil To Pagal Hai
* 2004, Filmfare Best Movie Award, Veer-Zaara
* 2006, Filmfare Power Award
* 2007, Filmfare Power Award
* 2008, Filmfare Power Award

# Padma Bhushan in 2005
# Pusan International Film Festival - Asian Filmmaker of the Year, 2009
# Dr. Dadabhai Naoroji Millennium Lifetime Achievement award in 2001
# He has also been awarded the Priyadarshini Award for his outstanding contribution to Indian cinema.
# Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 2001
# He had been given the Maharastra state government`s Raj Kapoor and V. Shantaram` Awards, in recognition of his impressive contributions to the Hindi film industry.
# Lifetime Achievement Award at the 4th Pune International Film Festival 2006
# A lifetime membership to BAFTA for his contribution to the Indian film industry. He is the first Indian to be honoured at BAFTA in 59-year history of the academy.
# Honorary Doctorate in Art by the Leeds Metropolitan University in Yorkshire
# FIAPF Award for Outstanding Achievement in Film at the 2008 Asia Pacific Screen Awards.
# Honorary Doctorate from the School of Oriental and African Studies, July 2010.
# National Kishore Kumar Award by the Government of Madhya Pradesh

Filmography of Yash Chopra
As a Producer
* Daag (1973)
* Kabhi Kabhie (1976)
* Doosra Aadmi (1977)
* Noorie (1979)
* Kaala Pathar (1979)
* Silsila (1981)
* Nakhuda (1981)
* Sawaal (1982)
* Mashaal (1984)
* Faasle (1985)
* Vijay (1988)
* Chandni (1989)
* Lamhe (1991)
* Darr (1993)
* Aaina (1993)
* Yeh Dillagi (1994)
* Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (1995)
* Humko Ishq Ne Maara (Telefilm) (1997)
* Dil To Pagal Hai (1997)
* Mohabbatein (2000)
* Mujhse Dosti Karoge! (2002)
* Mere Yaar Ki Shaadi Hai (2002)
* Saathiya (2002)
* Hum Tum (2004)
* Dhoom (2004)
* Veer-Zaara (2004)
* Bunty Aur Babli (2005)
* Salaam Namaste (2005)
* Neal N Nikki (2005)
* Fanaa (2006)
* Dhoom 2 (2006)
* Kabul Express (2006)
* Ta Ra Rum Pum (2007)
* Jhoom Barabar Jhoom (2007)
* Chak De India (2007)
* Laaga Chunari Mein Daag (2007)
* Aaja Nachle (2007)
* Tashan (2008)
* Thoda Pyaar Thoda Magic (2008)
* Bachna Ae Haseeno (2008)
* Roadside Romeo (2008)
* Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi (2008)
* New York (2009)
* Dil Bole Hadippa (2009)
* Rocket Singh: Salesman of the Year (2009)
* Pyaar Impossible (2010)

As a Director
* Dhool Ka Phool (1959)
* Dharmputra (1961)
* Waqt (1965)
* Aadmi Aur Insaan (1969)
* Ittefaq (1969)
* Daag (1973)
* Joshila (1973)
* Deewaar (1975)
* Kabhi Kabhie (1976)
* Trishul (1978)
* Kaala Patthar (1979)
* Silsila (1981)
* Mashaal (1984)
* Faasle (1985)
* Vijay (1988)
* Chandni (1989)
* Lamhe (1991)
* Parampara (1992)
* Darr (1993)
* Dil To Pagal Hai (1997)
* Veer-Zaara (2004)