Happy birthday Vidhu Vinod Chopra: The producer-director has given us memorable films like Parineeta, 1942 A Love Story, 3 Idiots, PK and the Munna Bhai series.
Vidhu Vinod Chopra is one filmmaker who has preferred to move against the flow. When Bollywood was going gaga over love stories, he gave us a romantic tale set in the backdrop of the Independence movement in the form of 1942: A Love Story. Just when a newcomer called Hrithik Roshan was establishing his foot in films as a romantic-actor star, Chopra signed him to play a terrorist in Mission Kashmir. He even gave us the first blockbuster franchise of Bollywood – Munna Bhai MBBS. He gave us Vidya Balan in Parineeta, and VVC even gave us landmark films like 3 Idiots and PK which pointed fingers on some existing stereotypes in society.
A close look at Chopra’s filmography will reveal that every film he produced or directed, has gone on to sweep the top categories at every awards function, with most of his work becoming box office hits too. VVC doesn’t not follow the footsteps of banners like Yash Raj Films, Dharma Productions or even Phantom. He knows his way and has kept his loyal audience hooked for years now.
As this maverick producer-director turns 65 today, we take a glance at the films he has offered us, and why each one is a gift to Bollywood.
Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro
VVC was a part of this iconic film at a smaller level though. He was an actor and a production controller in this cult movie.
Parinda
Producer, director, writer – Vidhu Vinod Chopra did multiple jobs in this film, starring actors like Jackie Shroff, Anil Kapoor, Madhuri Dixit, Nana Patekar and Anupam Kher. This film holds ground for highlighting the underworld and gangsters, in the backdrop of a normal life in Mumbai.
1942: A Love Story
As said before, this one weaved a sensitive love story with India’s freedom movement in its background. It was one of Anil Kapoor and Manisha Koirala’s finest works. And this film was special because it gave us the last tunes composed by legendary RD Burman. It’s music still echoes in our minds.
Kareeb
Bobby Deol’s best remembered work Kareeb was a sweet tale of romance set in the mountains of Himachal Pradesh. Its music was as melodious as its love story.
Mission Kashmir
After his big debut, Hrithik Roshan was trying to establish himself as a romantic-action star. But soon he got stereotyped. Chopra cast him as a Kashmiri young man who turns a militant, bringing out the grey shades of Hrithik. The actor got a lot of applause for his role.
Parineeta
This period drama gave Bollywood one of its most fiery actors – Vidya Balan. A story of love, hatred and longing, this was Chopra’s out-and-out romantic film. With music to die for, even Saif Ali Khan and Sanjay Dutt stood out in this hit film.
Munna Bhai MBBS
Only Vidhu Vinod Chopra would think of casting Sanjay Dutt as a gangster with a heart of gold. Munna’s struggle to become an MBBS to live the dream of his parents, made this film one of the biggest blockbuster of its time.
Lage Raho Munna Bhai
Sanjay Dutt wowed us once again with the second film in the Munna Bhai franchise. This time, he was teaching Gandhism, and its relevance in the current times. This film became important as without getting preachy, it explained to the youth why the Gandhian philosophy was something that can never die.
3 Idiots
Chetan Bhagat’s book ‘5 Point Someone’ got a new lease of life with its Bollywood adaptation. And with actors like Aamir Khan, Sharman Joshi and Madhavan living their characters to the hilt, it had all the elements of a blockbuster. 3 Idiots not just brought out in open, all the loopholes in India’s education system, but also gave answers to sort it out, if only the authorities could bring that into practice.
PK
Another one starring Aamir Khan, PK was a sarcastic take on blind faith and corrupt self-proclaimed godmen who have made it all a business. And all this from the point-of-view of an alien. What better way to look over the ill practices of humans than an extra-terrestrial?
Chopra’s next big film is the untitled Sanjay Dutt biopic, being directed by his close friend Rajkumar Hirani. Actor Ranbir Kapoor is playing Dutt’s part. Knowing VVC’s style of films, we cannot be any less excited for this one too. He also recently confirmed the third film in Munna Bhai series.
Here’s wishing Vidhu Vinod Chopra, a very happy birthday.
