Yash Chopra’s 85th birth anniversary: 5 ways Switzerland honoured the filmmaker
Switzerland was a favourite shooting destination for the late filmmaker Yash Chopra. On his birth anniversary, let’s take a look at how Switzerland has celebrated Chopra and his legacy.
travel Updated: Sep 27, 2017 16:35 IST
Hindustan Times
Every Bollywood fan has been enchanted by Switzerland’s snow-capped mountains, lush valleys and pristine lakes. Chopra visited Switzerland for his honeymoon and was smitten, his love affair with Switzerland continued till the very end . Through his movies, Chopra did wonders for Switzerland tourism. The Swiss government, too, has taken efforts to honour the legendary filmmaker.
1) Bronze statue:
In May 2016, a bronze statue of Chopra was installed by the Switzerland government as a tribute. The statue weights about 250 kg and was inaugurated by wife Pamela and actor Rani Mukerjee (his daughter-in-law). The statue is located near the Congress Centre in Interlaken, a popular tourist spot. On a vacation to Switzerland, actor Ranveer Singh shared a picture of himself, posing with the statue, on Instagram.
2) Special train:
Swiss trains often featured in movies made under the Yash Raj Films banner. In 2011, Switzerland’s Jungfrau Railways inaugurated a train named after him — an honour shared only with the railway’s founder, Adolf Guyer. The train featured his signature and name on a signboard. The train was launched by Chopra in the presence of Jungfrau Railways’ CEO Urs Kessle.
3) Deluxe suite:
Bollywood buffs would love spending time at the Victoria-Jungfrau Grand Hotel & Spa. A special deluxe cinema-themed suite at the hotel is named after Chopra and features posters of his film, Veer Zaara. In 2011, Chopra inaugurated the suite, which is done up with Indian décor. It affords a great view of Jungfrau. Interestingly, parts of the song, Ho gaya hai tujhko toh pyar sajna from Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge were shot opposite the hotel, but were passed off as a part of London. Staying at this suite is your chance to live like a Bollywood star.
4) Lake:
When in Switzerland, be sure to pay a visit to Lake Lauenen, in the Canton of Berne. Unofficially, the lake is often referred to as Lake Chopra. It was one of his favourite spots in Switzerland, and has been featured in his films too.
5) Awards and felicitations:
The Swiss government honoured Chopra with the title of Ambassador of Interlaken, making him the first recipient of the award. A silver plaque dedicated to him was placed on the Hoheweg, Interlaken’s main street. He was also bestowed the Swiss Ambassador’s Award.
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