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Bollywood producer and director Vidhu Vinod Chopra
Vidhu Vinod Chopra was born on 5th September, 1956 in Srinagar in the Northern Indian state of Kashmir. He was married to well known writer Anupama Chopra. He had the chance to go to Cambridge University for higher education but instead he graduated by studying film direction at the prestigious Film and Television Institute of India. At the dawn of his career he had many opportunities to direct the typical song and dance film of Bollywood genre. But more often than not he just wouldn’t approve of the stormy line. He wanted a script that tells a story that makes sense and not something that has no head and tail. His first shot at film making came with the short movie titled "An Encounter with Faces". For this short film he was offered a small sum of $100 but he was happy to do something relevant that he believed in. The movie highlighted the sufferings of underprivileged children in India. The movie got listed for the Oscars. His first directorial venture in Bollywood was film titled Sazaye Maut, the movie hardly troubled anyone at the box office. Then in 1983 came the movie ‘Jane Bhi Do Yaaro’ though the movie was not directed by him he was associated in the movie by acting in it. And even though he did not have a major role to play he would have been happy to be part of a successful Bollywood film. Ultimately it was in 1989 that he directed a film titled ‘Parinda’ starring Jackie Shroff, Anil Kapoor, Madhuri Dixit, Nana Patekar and Anupam Kher. The first thing one would notice that the filming of the movie was in realistic style and gave the movie a real like feel. The movie revolves around two brothers; one is living in Mumbai and works for gang. His brother is studying abroad and has no idea of his brother’s activities. On his arrival back to India he finds himself in the working of the same gang. For his excellent direction Mr. Chopra won the Filmfare Award for Best Director. The success of the movie capitulated Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s career to a new level. Thereafter in 1993 he came up with 1942: A Love Story a complete contrast to ‘Parinda’. This movie was a complete romantic movie set against the background of India’s freedom struggle starring Anil Kapoor, Jackie Shroff, and Manisha Koirala. This movie was the last movie in which music composer, the legendary RD Burman had composed music for. And the music when it was released topped every single chart in the country. In his next film ‘Kareeb’ starring Bobby Deol, Vidhu Vinod Chopra ensured that this film too had equally good soothing music, but the movie bombed at the box office. After the failure of ‘Kareeb’ Mr. Chopra returned to directing an action movie titled "mission kashmir" starring Sanjay Dutt, Hrithik Roshan, Preity Zinta and Jackie Shroff. This time the theme for the movie was based on terrorism. Mr. Chopra is a native of Kashmir and he was hurt by the destruction that his home place had gone through. He directed as well as produced the movie. He was nominated in the Best Director and Best Film category of Filmfare Award for ‘Mission Kashmir’. He also directed hit movie 'Eklavya: The Royal Guard' starring Amitabh Bachchan and Saif Ali Khan. This movie was followed by greater achievements for Mr. Chopra; he then gave the opportunity of direction to the new blood while he took care of the production part. This move resulted in more success for him. He collaborated with Rajkumar Hirani and the outcome was Munna Bhai M.B.B.S. that was released in 2003 and then it was followed up with Lage Raho Munna Bhai released in 2006. Both these were extremely successful commercial hits and with Pradeep Sarkar he made Parineeta that was released in 2005. The Munna Bhai legacy is to be revived again and the title of the forthcoming movie will this time be 'Munna Bhai Chale Amerika' to be directed by Rajkumar Hirani.
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