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Aditya Chopra (born 21 May 1971) is an Indian film director, writer and producer.

[edit] Early life and education

Chopra is the eldest known son of filmmaker Yash Chopra and was born on 21 May 1971. As a child, Aditya was very shy and preferred to keep to himself and developed a keen interest in watching films and writing stories. Aditya Chopra was also known as an avid dancer among his select group of friends and would often try to outshine others during his childhood days. Aditya completed his schooling from Bombay Scottish School, along with his brother and states that his best friends as he grew up were Karan Johar (famous director and son of Late Yash Johar) and younger brother Uday Chopra. Aditya, however still remains very media shy and rarely makes a public appearance.

[edit] Career

Aditya started his film making career at the age of 18 as an assistant director, working with his father for films like Chandni, Lamhe and Darr. Aditya, after gaining a respectable amount of experience, started independently at the age of 23, with the all time blockbuster Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge, for which he was the director and writer. The film was scripted by Chopra and produced by his father Yash Chopra, under the Yash Raj Films banner. Aditya started work on the script of the film in the year 1990, at the age of 19, and gradually spent time making about five drafts of the film's original script. Aditya Chopra even managed to convince his best friend Karan Johar, an aspiring film maker, to enter the film industry as an assistant director with the film. Chopra states that the presence of his brothers, during the making of the film worked as a huge emotional support for him and helped him great deal with the final outcome of the movie. Aditya chopra has also been the creative head of many blockbuster films. He has penned the story of Dhoom 2, Bunty Aur Babli, Bachna Ae Haseeno and New York . He was the storywriter, dialogue writer, and screenplay writer in his father's epic Veer Zaara.

[edit] Marriage

Aditya Chopra married his high school girlfriend, Payal Khanna, at the age of 30, in a private ceremony attended by a few of the couple's close friends. Payal studied with Aditya in Bombay Scottish School and completed a course in interior designing in London. Payal Chopra is said to be the sole light and strength behind Aditya Chopra and the growth of Yash Raj Films over the years. Payal later went on to design the Yash Raj Studios in Mumbai and also co-produced some films for the banner. The couple, however filed for divorce, on 20 April 2009, after 8 years of marriage for reasons best known to the couple. Rumors circulating around the media claim that the couple separated because of Aditya Chopra's addiction to bring the Yash Raj scion to great heights and thus leaving no room for a relationship to prosper between the two.

[edit] Yash Raj Films

Aditya eventually went on to write the dialogues and the story of his father's 1997 blockbuster Dil To Pagal Hai, also made under Yash Raj Films. His next film as a director was Mohabbatein with Amitabh Bachchan, which gave the yester year star a new life in his film career and also launched his brother Uday Chopra into the film industry. The film was also written and co-produced by Aditya Chopra and faired very well at the box office. The next film under the Yash Raj Films banner was Mere Yaar Ki Shaadi Hai, in the year 2002 and also starred his brother Uday. The film did moderately well at the box office. Chopra went on to produce and write several other highly commercial and critically acclaimed films over the years namely; Hum Tum, Dhoom, Veer Zaara, Bunty Aur Babli, Salaam Namaste, Fanaa and Chak De India and thus launching Yash Raj Films as the most powerful film production house in the history of Indian Cinema, with an estimated net worth of 8900+ crores and making Chopra one of the most influential people in the country. Yash Raj Films, however saw an all time low, with several of their high budgeted films not doing well at the box office and the company thereby suffering losses amounting to millions. The films broke the company's perfect success ratio and were oddly released one after another. Some of the most unsuccessful films produced under the banner were Jhoom Barabar Jhoom, Laaga Chunari Mein Daag, Tashan, Thoda Pyaar Thoda Magic and Roadside Romeo.

[edit] Yash Raj Studios

On realizing the lack of a proper film shooting studio during their years of film making, the company gradually went on build their dream film production studio, Yash Raj Films Studios, which is located in Mumbai city. Yash Raj Studios, built in the year 2006, is primarily owned by the chairman and founder president of the company, Yash Chopra. The first film to be shot in the studio was the company's 2006 critical and commercial blockbuster, Fanaa. The studio was created and designed by Aditya Chopra and his then wife, Payal Khanna and is equipped with high technology film shooting equipment and goods. The studio sprawling over 20 acres and towering up to seven floors is used to shoot films for the company and is also rented for other film makers and television shoots. Some of the notable films of outside banners that are shot in the studio over the years are; Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna (2006), Partner (2007), Taare Zameen Par (2007), Dostana (2008), etc.

[edit] As Vice Chairman

Aditya Chopra, eventually took over as the Vice Chairman of Yash Raj Films, in the year 2007, soon after the release of the film Aaja Nachle under the same banner. Aditya went on to make his third film as a director in the year 2008 with Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi starring Shahrukh Khan and launching new comer Anushka Sharma. The film broke all box office records and is the highest grossing film for both Shahrukh Khan and Yash Raj Films and helped the company to regain its number one position in the worldwide circuit.

[edit] Filmography

[edit] Producer

• Rocket Singh: Salesman of the Year (2009)
• Dil Bole Hadippa! (2009)
• New York (2009)
• Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi (2008)
• Roadside Romeo (2008)
• Bachna Ae Haseeno (2008)
• Thoda Pyaar Thoda Magic (2008)
• Tashan (2008)
• Aaja Nachle (2007)
• Laaga Chunari Mein Daag (2007)
• Chak De! India (2007)
• Jhoom Barabar Jhoom (2007)
• Ta Ra Rum Pum (2007)
• Kabul Express (2006)
• Dhoom 2 (2006)
• Fanaa (2006)
• Neal 'n' Nikki (2005)
• Salaam Namaste (2005)
• Bunty Aur Babli (2005)
• Veer-Zaara (2004)
• Dhoom (2004)
• Hum Tum (2004)
• Mujhse Dosti Karoge! (2002)
• Mere Yaar Ki Shaadi Hai (2002)
• Dil To Pagal Hai (1997)

[edit] Writer

• New York (2009)
• Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi (2008)
• Dhoom 2 (2006)
• Bunty Aur Babli (2005)
• Veer-Zaara (2004)
• Mujhse Dosti Karoge! (2002)
• Mohabbatein (2000)
• Dil To Pagal Hai (1997)
• Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (1995)
• Parampara (1992)

[edit] Director

• Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi (2008)
• Mohabbatein (2000)
• Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (1995)

[edit] External links

• Aditya Chopra at the Internet Movie Database