Baldev Raj Chopra (22 April 1914 – 5 November 2008) was an Indian director and producer of Bollywood movies and television serials. Best known for directing Hindi films like Naya Daur (1957), Sadhna (1958), Kanoon (1961), Gumrah (1963), Humraaz (1967), Insaaf Ka Tarazu (1980), Nikaah (1982), Awam (1987), and the producer of TV series, Mahabharat in 1988, he was awarded the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 1998.
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 which was highly successful. He followed it up with Naya Daur (1957) starring Dilip Kumar and Vyjayantimala Bali, the film became a golden jubilee hit. His subsequent releases like Kanoon, Gumrah, Humraaz 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, drama Karma (1977), comedy film Pati Patni Aur Woh, crime film in Insaaf Ka Tarazu, Muslim social in Nikaah and the political thriller Awam.
He was the producer for the films Dhool Ka Phool, Waqt, Aadmi Aur Insaan and Ittefaq directed by his younger brother Yash Chopra, and he also produced The Burning Train, Aaj Ki Awaaz, Mazdoor, Baghban, Baabul, Bhootnath which were directed by Ravi Chopra.
Chopra was instrumental in developing the career of singer Mahendra Kapoor, whom he employed in most of his movies. (Director-producer Yash Chopra cast Mahendra Kapoor’s son in Faasle.) One prominent thing about B. R. Chopra is the relatively low number of songs sung by Lata Mangeshkar and Mohammed Rafi in his films, with Asha Bhosle and Mahendra Kapoor being his preferred singers. The reason behind this was never revealed by him or the singers. Incidentally, both Chopra and Kapoor died within a gap of little longer than a month in 2008, with the latter dying first.
Chopra forayed into television with Mahabharat, one of the most successful TV serials in Indian television history, where Pankaj Dheer played the lead role of Karna and this was co-directed by him with his son. He also produced TV Series on Bahadur Shah Zafar, Kanoon (1993), Aap Beeti, Vishnu Puran (2000) and Maa Shakti. He produced films like Baghbhan, Babul and Bhootnath, after 2000.
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 Naya Daur.
- Civilian awards
- Padma Bhushan: 2001
- National Film Awards
- 1960: Certificate of Merit for Best Feature Film in Hindi – Kanoon
- 1961: President’s silver medal for Best Feature Film in Hindi – Dharmputra (Producer)
- 1998: Dadasaheb Phalke Award
- Filmfare Awards
- 1962: Filmfare Award for Best Director: Kanoon
- 2003: Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award
Filmography
| Year | Title | Director | Producer | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1949 | Karwat | Yes | Yes | Directorial debut |
| 1951 | Afsana | Yes | Yes | |
| 1953 | Shole | Yes | No | |
| 1954 | Chandni Chowk | Yes | No | |
| 1956 | Ek Hi Raasta | Yes | Yes | First film under B.R. Films |
| 1957 | Naya Daur | Yes | Yes | |
| 1958 | Sadhna | Yes | Yes | Nominated – Filmfare Award for Best Film |
| 1959 | Dhool Ka Phool | No | Yes | |
| 1960 | Kanoon | Yes | Yes |
|
| 1961 | Dharmputra | No | Yes | National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Hindi |
| 1963 | Gumrah | Yes | Yes | National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Hindi |
| 1965 | Waqt | No | Yes | Nominated – Filmfare Award for Best Film |
| 1967 | Hamraaz | Yes | Yes | |
| 1969 | Ittefaq | No | Yes | |
| 1970 | Aadmi Aur Insaan | No | Yes | |
| 1972 | Dastaan | Yes | Yes | |
| 1973 | Dhund | Yes | Yes | |
| 1975 | Zameer | No | Yes | Directorial debut of Ravi Chopra |
| 1976 | Chhoti Si Baat | No | Yes | Nominated – Filmfare Award for Best Film |
| 1977 | Karm | Yes | Yes | |
| 1978 | Pati Patni Aur Woh | Yes | Yes | |
| 1980 | The Burning Train | No | Yes | |
| 1980 | Insaf Ka Tarazu | Yes | Yes | Nominated – Filmfare Award for Best Film |
| 1981 | Agni Pareeksha | No | Yes | |
| 1982 | Beta | No | Yes | |
| 1982 | Nikaah | Yes | Yes | Nominated – Filmfare Award for Best FilmNominated – Filmfare Award for Best Director |
| 1982 | Teri Meri Kahani | No | Yes | Telefilm |
| 1983 | Mazdoor | No | Yes | |
| 1983 | Dharti Aakash | No | Yes | Telefilm |
| 1984 | Aaj Ki Awaaz | No | Yes | Nominated – Filmfare Award for Best Film |
| 1985 | Ghazal | No | Yes | |
| 1985 | Tawaif | Yes | No | |
| 1986 | Kirayadar | No | Yes | |
| 1986 | Dahleez | No | Yes | |
| 1987 | Awam | Yes | Yes | |
| 1988 | Mahabharat | No | Yes | TV series |
| 1991 | Mahabharat katha | TV Serial | ||
| 1991 | Pratigyabadh | No | Yes | |
| 1992 | Kal Ki Awaz | Yes | Yes | |
| 1992 | Sauda | Yes | Yes | TV series |
| 1993 | Kanoon | Yes | No | TV series |
| 2000 | Vishnu Puran | No | Yes | TV series |
| 2002–2004 | Ramayan | No | Yes | TV series |
| 2001–2004 | Aap Beeti | No | Yes | TV series |
| 2002–2003 | Ma Shakti | Yes | Yes | TV series |
| 2003 | Baghban | No | Yes | Nominated – Filmfare Award for Best Film |
| 2004 | Kamini Damini | No | Yes | TV series |
| 2006–2007 | Viraasat | No | Yes | TV series |
| 2006 | Baabul | No | Yes | |
| 2008 | Bhoothnath | No | Yes |