Baldev Raj Chopra

Baldev Raj Chopra

Baldev Raj Chopra (usually abbreviated to B.R. Chopra; born 22 April 1914 in Ludhiana, Punjab; † 5 November 2008 in Mumbai) was an Indian film director and producer.

Life

Baldev Raj Chopra came to Mumbai from Lahore in 1947 in the wake of the partition of India. His directorial debut was Afsana (1951) with Ashok Kumar in a double role. This very first film was so successful that it established Chopra as a permanent fixture in Hindi cinema. In 1956, he set up his own production company, B.R. Films. The films produced by B. R. Chopra were commercially extremely successful, such as Naya Daur (1957), Sadhna (1958), Dhool Ka Phool (1959), Kanoon (1960, Filmfare Award/Best Director), Gumrah (1963), Waqt (1965), Humraaz (1967), Ittefaq (1969). They were partly directed by himself but also by other directors.

From the 1980s, he also worked for television. His most significant television production was the series Mahabharat (1988-90), consisting of 94 parts of 45 minutes each.

B. R. Chopra was a member of the Berlinale jury in 1963. He was awarded the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 1999 for his outstanding contribution to Indian cinema. In 2001 he received the Padma Bhushan and in 2004 the Filmfare Award/Lifetime Achievement.

His younger brother Yash Chopra and son Ravi Chopra were also film directors and producers.

Filmography

as director

• 1951: Afsana
• 1953: Shole
• 1954: Chandni Chowk
• 1956: Ek-Hi-Rasta
• 1957: Naya Daur
• 1958: Sadhna
• 1960: Kanoon
• 1963: Gumrah
• 1967: Hamraaz
• 1972: Dastaan
• 1973: Dhund
• 1977: Karm
• 1978: Pati Patni Aur Woh
• 1980: Insaf Ka Tarazu
• 1982: Nikaah
• 1985: Tawaif
• 1986: Bahadur Shah Zafar (television series)
• 1987: Avam
• 1988-1990: Mahabharat (television series)
• 1992: Kal Ki Awaz
• 1992: Sauda (television series)
• 2002: Ma Shakti (television series)

as producer

• 1951: Afsana
• 1954: Chandni Chowk
• 1956: Ek-Hi-Rasta
• 1957: Naya Daur
• 1958: Sadhna
• 1959: Dhool Ka Phool
• 1960: Kanoon
• 1961: Dharmputra
• 1963: Gumrah
• 1965: Waqt
• 1967: Hamraaz
• 1969: Aadmi Aur Insaan
• 1969: Ittefaq
• 1972: Dastaan
• 1973: Dhund
• 1975: Chhoti Si Baat
• 1975: Zameer
• 1977: Karm
• 1980: Insaf Ka Tarazu
• 1980: The Burning Train
• 1981: Agni Pareeksha
• 1982: Beta
• 1982: Nikaah
• 1982: Teri Meri Kahani (TV movie)
• 1983: Dharti Aakash (television film)
• 1983: Mazdoor
• 1984: Aaj Ki Awaz
• 1985: Ghazal
• 1986: Dahleez
• 1986: Kirayadar
• 1987: Avam
• 1988-1990: Mahabharat (television series)
• 1991: Pratigyabadh
• 1992: Kal Ki Awaz
• 2002: Ma Shakti (television series)
• 2002: Ramayan (television miniseries)
• 2003: And in the evening happiness is waiting (Baghban)
• 2004: Kamini Damini (television series)
• 2006: Baabul
• 2008: Bhoothnath – A Ghost to Love (Bhoothnath)

Web links

• Baldev Raj Chopra in the Internet Movie Database (english)
• Bollywood producer BR Chopra dies
• Filmmaker who made television history