Baldev Raj Chopra

Baldev Raj Chopra (22 April 1914 – 5 November 2008) was a prolific Indian director and producer noted for pioneering the Hindi film industry and television series. He's known for directing notable films, such as Afsana, Ek Hi Raasta, , Sadhna, Kanoon, Gumrah, Hamraaz, Dhund, Pati Patni Aur Woh, and Nikaah. He also produced hit films, including Dhool Ka Phool, Waqt, Ittefaq, Aadmi Aur Insaan, Chhoti Si Baat, The Burning Train, Aaj Ki Awaaz, Baghban and the TV series, Mahabharat. He was awarded Dadasaheb Phalke Award, India's highest award in cinema, for the year 1998, and Padma Bhushan, India's third highest civilian award, in 2001.

His younger brother Yash Chopra, son Ravi Chopra and nephew Aditya Chopra are also directors in the Bollywood industry. His nephew Uday Chopra is an actor and producer.

Biography Chopra was born on 22 April 1914 in Rahon, Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar district (formerly Nawanshahr district) to Vilayati Raj Chopra, an employee of the PWD. He later shifted to Lahore. He was the second of several siblings; his youngest brother was filmmaker Yash Chopra.

Chopra received an M.A. in English literature from University of the Punjab in Lahore. He started his career in 1944 as a film journalist with Cine Herald, a film-monthly published in Lahore, he later took over the magazine and ran it until 1947. In the same year, he launched a film with a story by I. S. Johar, Chandni Chowk. Naeem Hashmi was hero of this movie and Erika Rukhshi was the heroine. Just as the production of film was to start, riots broke out in Lahore and he and his family had to flee from the city. After the partition of India into India and Pakistan in 1947, he moved to Delhi. He later moved to Mumbai, where his first production, Karwat, began in 1948, though it turned out to be a flop. His first film as a director, Afsana, was released in 1951 and featured Ashok Kumar in a double role – the film was a hit and established his name in Bollywood. Chopra made Chandni Chowk, with Meena Kumari as a lead, in 1954. In 1955, Chopra formed his own production house, B.R Films. His first movie for this production house was Ek Hi Raasta (1956) which was highly successful.

During 1956–57, Chopra became involved in a legal battle with Madhubala and her father, Ataullah Khan, regarding the production of Naya Daur. When Khan refused to allow Madhubala to attend an outdoor shoot in Bhopal citing safety concerns, Chopra sued them for breach of contract. The case gained significant public attention when lead actor Dilip Kumar testified in favour of Chopra, leading to Madhubala's eventual exit from the film and her replacement by actress Vyjayanthimala. The dispute was historically noted for contributing to the high-profile breakup of Madhubala and Dilip Kumar; Chopra ultimately withdrew the case after the film's release in 1957. Naya Daur explored the conflict between tradition and modernization in post-independence India; it was a major critical and commercial success, with a critic for Amrita Bazar Patrika praising Chopra for "deliver[ing] a commendable film" that "combines ... purposeful and [picturesque] theme".

Chopra's subsequent releases like Kanoon with Rajendra Kumar, Gumrah and Hamraaz with Sunil Dutt were major hits in the sixties. In 1963, he was a member of the jury at the 13th Berlin International Film Festival. His second film with actor Dilip Kumar was Dastaan which became a flop in 1972.

He directed successful film across genres after 1972, with films like suspense thriller Dhund (1973), drama Karm (1977), comedy film Pati Patni Aur Woh (1978), crime film in (1980), Muslim social in Nikaah (1982) and the political thriller Awam (1987).

He was the producer for the films Dhool Ka Phool (1959), Waqt (1965), Aadmi Aur Insaan (1969) and Ittefaq (1969) directed by his younger brother Yash Chopra, and he also produced The Burning Train (1980), Mazdoor (1983), (1984), (2003), Baabul (2006), Bhoothnath (2008) which were directed by Ravi Chopra.

Chopra forayed into television with Mahabharat, which become the most successful TV serial with a 92% viewer record in Indian television history, where Nitish Bharadwaj played the role of Krishna and Mukesh khanna portrayed the role of Bhishma. This was co-directed by him with his son. He also produced TV Series on Bahadur Shah Zafar, Kanoon, Vishnu Puran, Aap Beeti and Maa Shakti.

He died in Mumbai at the age of 94 on 5 November 2008, survived by his son, Ravi Chopra, and two daughters Shashi and Bina.

Awards B. R. Chopra (sitting left) and Yash Chopra attending audio release of Civilian awards Padma Bhushan (2001) National Film Awards 1960: Third Best Feature Film in Hindi – Kanoon 1961: Best Feature Film in Hindi – Dharmputra (Producer) 1963: Third Best Feature Film in Hindi – Gumrah 1967: Best Feature Film in Hindi – Hamraaz 1998: Dadasaheb Phalke Award Filmfare Awards 1962: Filmfare Award for Best Director: Kanoon 2004: Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award

Filmography Year Title Director Producer Notes 1949 Karwat 1951 Afsana 1953 Shole : A Tale of Burning Tears 1954 Chandni Chowk 1956 Ek Hi Rasta 1957 1958 Sadhna 1959 Dhool Ka Phool 1960 Kanoon 1961 Dharmputra 1963 Gumrah 1965 Waqt 1967 Hamraaz 1969 Aadmi Aur Insaan Ittefaq 1972 Dastaan 1973 Dhund 1975 Zameer 1976 Chhoti Si Baat 1977 Karm 1978 Pati Patni Aur Woh 1980 The Burning Train 1981 Agni Pareeksha 1982 Beta Nikaah Teri Meri Kahani TV Film 1983 Mazdoor Dharti Aakash TV Film 1984 Aaj Ki Awaaz 1985 Ghazal Tawaif 1986 Kirayadar Dahleez Bahadur Shah Zafar TV Series 1987 Awam 1988 Mahabharat TV Series 1991Mahabharat Katha Pratigyabadh 1992 Kal Ki Awaz Sauda TV Series 1993 Kanoon 2000 Vishnu Puran 2002–2004 Ramayan 2001–2004 Aap Beeti 2002–2003 Ma Shakti 2003 Baghban 2004 Kamini Damini TV Series 2006–2007 Viraasat 2006 Baabul