Yash Chopra’s last film Jab Tak Hai Jaan was complete, except for one song. Cast and crew were all ready to travel to Switzerland in October to shoot the song, because what is a Yash Chopra film without Switzerland? The song was suppose to be a very intense romantic song on the lines of ‘Mere Dil Mein Aaj Kya Hai’, from Chopra’s Daag. Designer Manish Malhotra earlier revealed that we would get to see SRK romance chiffon sari-clad Katrina Kaif in the typical style of Chopra.
Unfortunately the planned shoot and in fact the entire song has now been scrapped. Actor Shah Rukh Khan recently said that Yash Chopra’s sudden death changed everything. “We don’t feel emotionally and mentally ready to go to Switzerland and shoot without Yash ji. You don’t go to Switzerland without Yash Chopra,” says the actor.
He goes on to add that the song won’t be shot at all and will only be played in the background. “We could not shoot for it as Yash ji was unwell. After he passed away, Karan (Johar) said, ‘Should I shoot it?’ But Adi (Aditya Chopra) said, ‘No we are not going to shoot it.’ If the song is not being shot by Mr Yash Chopra in Switzerland, then even I don’t want to shoot it. None of us wants to. The song will now be played in the background. We’ll use some scenes from what Yash ji’s already shot.”
Khan remembers all the great moment he spend with Yashji, who would call him a badmash (rascal). After the shooting of Jab Tak Hai Jaan was over, Yashji told Khan “You’ll make more films but I won’t make another.” Khan reminded him that they still had a song to shoot in Switzerland and Yashji firmly said, “No, that was my last shot!”
To honour Yashji and to celebrate his life and work, wife Pamela Chopra revealed in a statement that a grand premiere will be held on the 12th of november. SRK confirms the news. “Yash Chopra always released his films on Diwali (JTHJ releases on November 13), because his ideology was that it’s a festival of life and happiness. Hope it’s not seen in a wrong sense, but the fact that he’d been making films for the last 50 years, and just 10 days after he made his last film, he passes away — I think in a strange sense is the happiest a filmmaker can be.”
“We as people who’ve experienced him should celebrate what a wonderful and happy life he had. We shall carry forward the reason he made films for, and that was to celebrate life. We are going to have this huge premiere, Insha Allah, on the 12th (of November). To me it has become a little more than a film. That is the best way of giving a tribute or the best way to mourn for Yash Chopra’s passing away and to celebrate the fact that he was a part of our lives. ”
