Vidhu Vinod Chopra, who is celebrating his 70th birthday today, is a filmmaker who is known to have helmed classic films such as 'Parinda' and '1942: A love story'. His choice of content is always innovative and loved by the masses. In a career spanning over four decades, he has tasted commercial as well as critical acclaim.
On the occasion of his birthday, let's take a look at some of his best films as a director or producer.
‘1942: A Love Story’
Undoubtedly one of the finest films of Vidhu Vinod Chopra as a director. Starring Anil Kapoor and Manisha Koirala, the film is still known for its melodious romantic tracks, composed by RD Burman. The story of the film is set in the backdrop of India's freedom struggle and it was declared a super hit at the box office.
‘Shikara’
The film is a romantic drama inspired by the book ‘Our Moon Has Blood Clots’ by Rahul Pandita. ‘Shikara’ is directed and produced by Vidhu Vinod Chopra. The film is based on the Kashmiri pandit exodus of 1990. Starring Aadil Khan and Sadia Khateeb, it highlights the love story of Kashmiri Pandits, Shanti, and Shiv Dhar.
‘Parinda’
The crime drama revolves around two orphan brothers portrayed by Anil Kapoor and Jackie Schroff. This critically acclaimed film is considered Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s first mainstream Bollywood hit. The film won two National Film Awards and four Filmfare Awards.
‘Mission Kashmir’
The action thriller starred Hrithik Roshan and Preity Zinta in the lead roles. The film narrates the story of a police officer who accidentally kills a family in Kashmir and adopts a young boy, the sole survivor. The boy finds out the reality when he grows up and sets out to seek revenge. The film received 6 nominations at the 46th Filmfare Awards.
‘Munna Bhai MBBS’
The most popular comedy-drama ‘Munna Bhai MBBS’ is loosely influenced by the 1998 American biographical comedy ‘Patch Adams’. Sanjay Dutt played the titular role in the film. The film is about a local goon who sets out to fulfill his father's dream. Sanjay's real father Sunil Dutt played his onscreen dad. This Rajkumar Hirani’s directorial was a major box office hit and it is one of the most critically acclaimed films.
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