YRF constructs state-of-the-art theatre to premiere Yash Chopra’s last

In the late Yash Chopra’s world, especially his cinematic world, everything was larger than life. So it was not enough for his wife Pamela and sons Aditya and Uday to announce a grand premiere for his last film.

In the late Yash Chopra’s world, especially his cinematic world, everything was larger than life. So it was not enough for his wife Pamela and sons Aditya and Uday to announce a grand premiere for his last film, Jab Tak Hai Jaan (JTHJ), in accordance with his wishes.

The late filmmaker’s family is also working to create a top-of-the-line, state-of-the-art theatre over an entire floor at Yash Raj Films (YRF) Studios that is worthy of screening his final work for an audience comprising practically all of Bollywood.

“This is the first time that an event of such a scale is being put together in the studio,” says a friend close to the Chopra clan. “To hold the premiere at Yash Raj Studios was an emotional decision by the family. Even Yashji’s chautha took place at YRF.”

The idea behind this theatre is to give the audience an experience of cinema within a working studio. Veer-Zaara, the last film Yash Chopra had directed in 2004, had its premiere at Imax, Wadala.

YRF Studios has a 100-seater preview theatre, but it is not big enough to accommodate all the Bollywood biggies who will be invited for the premiere of JTHJ. So the family decided to create a new, larger theatre for the premiere, which will be dismantled after the event is over.

“Yash Chopra liked everything to be grand, and this is a befitting tribute to a man of his stature,” says Rafiq Ganjee, vice president at YRF. “Holding the premiere at YRF studio was a joint decision taken by the family. We are now working on the invitation cards for

the premiere.”

Work on the new theatre has already started, and it will continue 24 hours a day, with labourers working in shifts, so that it will be ready by November 12, the day JTHJ premieres.

Though the guest list is yet to be confirmed, the company is pulling all the other logistical details together, including arrangements to ease traffic in the highly congested area where the studio is located.

Legendary filmmaker Yash Chopra