Yash Johar (6 September 1929 – 26 June 2004) was an Indian Bollywood film producer. He founded Dharma Productions in 1976 and made Hindi films that were noted for featuring lavish sets and exotic locations, but upheld Indian traditions and family values.
Personal life
Yash Johar was born on 6 September 1929 in Lahore, Punjab, British India. He was married to Hiroo Johar (née Chopra), a sister of the noted filmmakers BR Chopra and Yash Chopra. They are the parents of successful Indian film director Karan Johar. Johar died on 26 June 2004 in Mumbai, aged 74, of a chest infection, though he also had been fighting cancer. After his death, his son took the reins of Dharma Productions.
Career
Johar began his career in Bollywood in 1952 in Sunil Dutt's production house Ajanta Arts. He was associated with films like Mujhe Jeene Do and Yeh Raaste Hai Pyaar Ke. He helped filmmaker Dev Anand handle the production of his film Guide, which did roaring business at the box office. He continued with Dev Anand's Navketan Films and handled production of films like Jewel Thief, Prem Pujari and Hare Rama Hare Krishna.
In 1976, Johar launched his own banner, Dharma Productions. The first film produced by the company, Dostana, directed by Raj Khosla, was a huge box office success. The company produced a handful of other films in the 1980s and early 1990s, most notably Agneepath, Gumrah and Duplicate.
The company had unprecedented success with their 1998 award-winning film Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, the directorial debut of his son Karan Johar. The film starring Shah Rukh Khan, Kajol and Rani Mukerji was an all-time blockbuster and was one of the biggest hits of the year particularly in the overseas market. The film was critically acclaimed as well, winning major awards in all categories including the Best Film award at the 44th Annual Filmfare Awards, Lux Zee Cine Awards, Sansui Viewers' Choice Awards, Bollywood Movie Awards and the National Film Awards.
Yash's son followed up its success with his second film, Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham, which broke all box office records at the time to become the biggest hit in both India and particularly overseas where it entered the Top Five on the UK Charts.
Johar was also involved in the production and distribution company Dreamz Unlimited founded in 1999 by Shah Rukh Khan, Juhi Chawla and Aziz Mirza. He helped set up the company as well as handling the production process of their first film, Phir Bhi Dil Hai Hindustani.
The last film Johar was involved in the production of was Kal Ho Naa Ho, which was a critical and commercial success, becoming the second top-grossing movie domestically and the top-grossing Bollywood film in the overseas market that year. He was also a senior member of the Film Producers Guild of India.
Selected filmography
Producer
Dostana (1980)
Duniya (1984)
Muqaddar Ka Faisla (1987)
Agneepath (1990)
Gumrah (1993)
Duplicate (1998)
Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998)
Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham (2001)
Kal Ho Naa Ho (2003)
No comments:
Post a Comment