Bollywood Filmmaker Yash Chopra Dead At 80

MUMBAI, India – Veteran Bollywood filmmaker Yash Chopra has died at the age of 80 after contracting dengue fever, reports the Washington Post.

Chopra was known to Bollywood as the “King of Romance,” boasting a five-decade Hindi language film career with major hits like Deewar, Dil To Pagal Hai, and Chandni. In addition to contracting dengue fever, Chopra was also suffering from kidney problems. He died in Mumbai’s Lilavati Hospital.

“He passed away due to dengue and multiple organ failure,” said the official announcement regarding his death.

Chopra’s latest film, Jab Tak Hai Jaan, is scheduled to release next month in India.

“He was a down to earth person who used to guide us in taking major family decisions. Being the youngest of five brothers and three sisters, he was the most pampered,” said Suman Chopra, daughter-in-law of Hans Raj Chopra, Yash Chopra’s eldest brother, reports the Hindustan Times.

“After his brother BR Chopra died four years ago, it was he who took on the mantle of our family and imbibed good values in us. He did not feel like coming to Jalandhar after the death of my father Lalit Chopra four years ago. When I requested him to visit us, he assured me that he would attend the weddings of my children,” said Suman’s daughter Bhakti Mehta.

Chopra’s eldest son, Aditya Chopra, is also a successful film director, and his younger son, Uday Chopra, runs the international branch of the family’s production studio. Yash Chopra got his start in film under his elder brother, veteran filmmaker B.R. Chopra, who himself died four years ago at the age of 94.

Condolences from IQ to the family of Yash Chopra, Bollywood film legend.