At Yash Chopra’s chautha, held yesterday at YRF Studios, actors Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan and Anupam Kher recollected their memories spend with the legendary director.
Bachchan, who has worked closely with the Chopra’s in films like Silsila, Trishul, Kabhi Kabhi, Bunty aur Babli and Mohabbatein spoke about his relationship with Yash Chopra as “a friend and a superb personality”. He said: “He had a big name but with that he had the quality of humanity and beong humble with people, which was not easy to posses at his position. I have known him since 44 years and have learnt a lot from him. We have seen a lot of good and bad moments. I have lived with him and seen his enthusiasm for work which at times he gave me also.”
“In these years I have never seen him getting angry. He never spoke on a high pitch with anyone. He only had a pitch with the enthusiasm at work. The amount of love he showed in the films he had the same in his life”, Big B adds.
He ended his speech reciting a poem written by his father. “jo beet gayi so baath gayi, jeevan mein ek sitara tha, mana woh pyara tha woh tut gaya tho dub gaya.”
A father figure
“While Bachchan was sad about losing his good friend, actor Shah Rukh Khan got emotional as this feels like he has lost his father all over again. In a heavy voice the actor said all was in his heart. “I have lost a father figure. When we were shooting in Kashmir Yashji told me that this is his last film, that time I couldn’t understand what he means by that but today I have understood it all.”
He also remembered the little things, like his phonecalls with Yashji. “Yashji had a different quality in him. Whenever he called up he use to introduce himself and say ‘Hello Yash Bol raha hoon’. Then he would ask me, ‘ where are you?’ as soon as I gave the answer he just use to hang up the phone without listening what I had to tell him.”
SRK concluded: “I’m happy that he had a painless death in his sleep. I’m sure Allah miya wanted to some entertainment and he took Yashji from us. I’m happy now the people back in heaven will get to see some good cinema and shiffon saris.”
Passionate
Anupam Kher also spoke at the chautha yesterday. On Twitter he said: “My tribute to Yash Ji at his prayer ceremony was Disjointed with broken sentences & straight from the Heart. Something like LIFE.:)”
One of his most fonded memories is that he used to share breakfast with Chopra every week. “For the 12yrs I used to have breakfast with Yash at least twice a week when in Mumbai. The knowledge of Life that he shared is PRICELESS.:)”
He ends on the following note: “Yash ji was passionate about everything in life. There was child in him which surfaced all the time. He taught me to live for the moment.:)”
Bollywood celebs who were present at the Chautha ceremony were: Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan, Jitendra, Gulzar, Vinod Khanna, Shatrughan Sinha, Subhash Ghai, Mahesh Bhatt, Hrithik Roshan, Boney Kapoor, Anupam Kher, Kirron Kher, Sonakshi Sinha, Milan Luthria, Farah Khan, Anushka Sharma, Pankaj Udhas, Ashutosh Gowariker, Javed Akhtar, Ranveer Singh, Juhi Chawla, Zoya Akhtar, Ameesha Patel, Madhur Bhandarkar and Ramesh Taurani.
The 80-year old filmmaker, who gave romance a new meaning, passed away on Sunday at the Lilavati Hospital in Mumbai following multiple organ failure resulting from complications that arose after contracting dengue.
Chautha means fourth. The chauta is a prayer meeting on the fourth day after the someone has passed away. On this day the ashes of the deceased are collected and subsequently, immersed (usually in the holy Ganges) in the presence of a priest.
His last film, Jab Tak Hai Jaan with Shah Rukh Khan, Katrina Kaif and Anushka Sharma, is complete except for one song.
The film will release in theatres on Diwali, like planned.
