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28 March 2024

Aditya or Karan Johar - Who will complete Yash Chopra's 'Jab Tak Hai Jaan'?

In this photograph taken on September 27, 2012 Indian Veteran Bollywood filmmaker, director, screenwriter and producer Yash Raj Chopra celebrates his 81st birthday while being hugged by actor Shah Rukh Khan at a film promotion in Mumbai (AFP)

Published
By Ajanta Paul

Director Yash Chopra passed away before his last movie 'Jab Tak Hai Jaan' could see the light of the day.

‘Jab Tak Hai Jaan’ is complete barring one romantic song, which Yash Chopra wanted to shoot in Switzerland.

Chopra, who passed away on October 21, has one unfulfilled dream of evoking romance in Switzerland, a country whose scenic beauty has been the backdrop of his many films.

His final shot for his last directorial 'Jab Tak Hai Jaan' was a song featuring Katrina Kaif serenading in a chiffon sari at his favourite location - the Swiss Alps, revealed designer Manish Malhotra.

"We were to go to the Swiss Alps to shoot a song with Katrina (Kaif) in a chiffon saris. He discussed the saris with passion and used to tell me that 'I want you to be there at the shoot'," tweeted Malhotra.

Shah Rukh Khan, Katrina Kaif and Anushka Sharma starrer 'Jab Tak Hai Jaan' was Yash Chopra’s last directorial film. And that’s how the maker wanted it to be too.

He was slated to travel to Switzerland end of this month, until he was diagnosed with dengue fever and admitted to a hospital on October 13.

Apparently, the crew of the film wanted to make the shoot memorable for Chopra. Aditya Chopra, his son and assistant director had planned a big surprise for when his father would have taken his last shot.

Rumors were rife that a multi-camera set-up would be arranged so that the shot will be a memorable one for the ace director. Unfortunately those plans could never be carried out as the 'king of romance' never stepped out of the ICU.

So, who will direct the last song of 'Jab Tak Hai Jaan', which is incidentally the title track of the movie?

According to renowned film critic Saibal Chetterjee, Chopra’s son Adi might step in. “Adi might direct the song as a tribute to his father. That would the logical thing to do. Alternatively, since the song has already been recorded and alludes to the film's title they might do an edit to weave the number into the narrative without doing a separate shoot. Either way it’s sentimental and the historical value is bound to be immense,” he reasons.

Will Aditya step into his father's shoe? Or will director Karan Johar, who is no less a son to him, complete his last work?

Sources close to the family claim that the song will either be shot by Aditya, or it won't be shot at all.

It is quite possible that Aditya will like to keep the film untouched. This film is Chopra's baby, his last gift to Indian cinema and maybe that is how it was meant to be.

No one would want to touch a single frame of 'Jab Tak Hai Jaan', especially since it has acquired a new significance now. The family would like to keep the movie exclusive to him and not adulterate it by allowing another director to step in.
 
Chopra had declared that he would retire after 'Jab Tak Hai Jaan', but no one imagined that it would be “the last”. In his “last” interview on his birthday on September 27, Chopra had said, “In all these years, I have got so much love from people that now I want to give it all back. I want to help a lot of youngsters who want to become actors, directors and technicians.”

Also, since the family will be in mourning it is highly unlikely that Aditya will find time to film the song. Besides the film’s release is less than a month away, so there is practically no time left.

There is also a possibility that the song may run as a backdrop for the credit scroll.

All these are mere speculations and we are still awaiting clarification from the Yash Raj Films.

While his dream of making his last film was fulfilled, he unfortunately passed away before he could see its release on November 13.

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