Yash Chopra - the name is synonymous to chiffon sarees, serenading romance, sacrificing romance and beautiful memories. While that isn't a wrong summation of that eclectic man, it's a tad unfair to have such a myopic understanding of the great filmmaker. Young Chopra believed in sending a message through his movies in the early years of his career. Most of his collaboration with his brother B R Chopra addresses a social theme pertinent to the state of the nation at that point of time. If you think he was different man then, let us tell you, the man always tried to slip in some message even in his later movies which are known for their rich presentation. Remember Lamhe?  Yash Chopra Birth Anniversary Special: How Yashji Was the OG Filmmaker to Address Hindu Radicalisation and Communalism in Bollywood!

Today on his birth anniversary, we will talk about those movies which didn't have romance at the centre but a hard-hitting social commentary.

Dhool Ka Phool

This was Chopra's first directorial under his brother BR Films' banner. It spoke about Hindu-Muslim divide and leaves you impressed. 'Tu Hindu banega na Musalman banega' should perhaps be the nursery rhyme every parent should sing to their kid in India. The story is about a Muslim man bringing up a Hindu kid and what happens next.

Dharmputra

Shashi Kapoor debuts as an adult actor in a role that finds a connect even in 2022 India. He played Hindu fundamentalist, who is born of a Muslim mother. Not just that it also shows the casteism prevalent in Muslims which is still an uncommon subject in Hindi movies. And we are talking about 1961, only a few years after the blood-soaked partition ravaged us.

Deewar

Deewar today is a rousing display of mouthful dialogues and the fight between good vs bad with a mother in the middle of it all. But what many don't perceive is Deewar is more than just that. It exposed the rampant class divide within the confines of a commercial potboiler. Remembering Deewar only for its dialogues is a disservice to the real theme of the movie and Chopra made it count.

Kaala Patthar 

The risky and life-threatening conditions that miners work back in the day is the main crux of the film. It's a multi-starrer, as was Chopra's penchant, but despite being hugely commercial, he didn't let the narrative stray away from its core. It takes a shot at capitalism and exploitation of workers. Kaala Patthar Clocks 42 Years: Amitabh Bachchan Recalls Working in a Coal Company, Shares Pictures From the Movie.

Daag: A Poem Of Love

This movie has undertones of bigamy without actually treading that path. Chopra's first movie as a producer under YRF banner made him takes the step towards the 'unheard-of' carefully and the result has been quite successful. Apparently, the ending where Sharmila Tagore hints they should all be together which includes Rajesh Khanna and Rakhee, was criticised and asked to be changed. But Chopra believed in his audience and he was rewarded. Guess that conviction made him directed Lamhe as well, but this the audience was too immature to appreciate the masterpiece.

 

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 27, 2022 08:10 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).