Vidhu Vinod Chopra
Vidhu Vinod Chopra | |
---|---|
Spouse | Anupama Chopra |
Website | Official Website |
Vidhu Vinod Chopra (Punjabi:ਵਿਧੁ ਵਿਨੋਦ ਚੋਪਰਾ, Hindi:विधु विनोद चोपड़ा) (born on 5 September 1956) is an Indian director and producer. Chopra is the head of his own company, Vinod Chopra Productions, and is particularly known for producing the Munna Bhai films, Munna Bhai M.B.B.S., and Lage Raho Munna Bhai.
Early life
Born in a Punjabi family of Kashmir, he grew up in Srinagar, Kashmir, India. His love of Hindi Cinema and support of his family encouraged him to study Film Direction. Since there was no College for film related courses in North India, he went to Pune and attended Film Direction at Film and Television Institute of India. He is one of the few Directors who are passionate in creating Films based on Original Scripts. Chopra could not speak a line of English and was, by his own confession, self taught by watching numerous Hollywood films.
Career
Chopra's first student short 'Murder At Monkey Hill' won the National Film Award for the Best Short Experimental Film and also the Guru Dutt Memorial Award for Best Student Film.[1]
This was followed by a short documentary highlighting the plight of India's destitute children called An Encounter with Faces, which was nominated for an Academy Award in the Documentary Short Subject category in 1979.He became notorious for his controversial statement "shut up"[2] against a reporter which was repeatedly aired on many Indian news channels[3].
Films
His first feature film, shot in black-&-white, was Sazaa-E-Maut (Death Penalty) - an edge of the seat thriller made on a shoe-string budget with then unknown actor Naseeruddin Shah and editor Renu Saluja, who were his fellow students at FTII, Pune. Among his critically acclaimed films include Parinda, 1942: A Love Story, Mission Kashmir, the Munna Bhai series, Parineeta , Eklavya: The Royal Guard and his recently acclaimed blockbuster, 3 Idiots.
Personal life
Chopra first married, film editor Renu Saluja, which ended in a divorce. Though with the divorce, they continued to work together in several films. Later, he married writer Anupama Chopra, previously a resident of the United States. Anupama has now recently taken jobs as a movie reviewer with NDTV and India Today. Vidhu Vinod Chopra is the half-brother of Ramanand Sagar of TV series, Ramayan.
Filmography
Year | Film | Role(s) |
---|---|---|
Announced | Munnabhai Chale Amerika | Producer & Writer |
Stuck/On Hold | 64 Squares | Producer & Director |
2009 | 3 Idiots | Producer |
2007 | Eklavya: The Royal Guard | Director, Producer & Screenplay |
2006 | Lage Raho Munna Bhai | Producer, Screenplay Associate & Lyricist |
2005 | Parineeta | Producer, Story & Dialogue Writer, Supervising Editor |
2003 | Munna Bhai MBBS | Producer & Writer |
2000 | Mission Kashmir | Director, Producer & Writer |
1998 | Kareeb | Director & Producer |
1993 | 1942: A Love Story | Director, Producer & Writer |
1989 | Parinda | Director & Actor (Corpse) |
1985 | Khamosh | Director, Producer & Writer |
1983 | Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro | Actor & Production Controller |
1981 | Sazaye Maut | Director, Producer & Writer |
1978 | An Encounter with Faces | Director |
1977 | Murder At Monkey Hill | Director (Diploma Film) |
Awards and nominations
Star Screen Awards
- 2006: Winner, Best Film for Lage Raho Munnabhai
- 2006: Nominated, Best Screenplay for Lage Raho Munna Bhai
- 2009: Winner, Star Screen Award for best film, 3 idiots
- 2009: Winner, Star Screen Award for best Screenplay, 3 idiots
IIFA Awards
- 2007: Winner, IIFA Best Screenplay Award for Lage Raho Munna Bhai
- 2001: Nominated, IIFA Best Director Award for Mission Kashmir
Filmfare Awards
- 2009: Winner, Filmfare Best Film for 3 Idiots
- 2006: Winner, Filmfare Best Story Award for Lage Raho Munna Bhai
- 2005: Nominated, Filmfare Best Movie Award for Parineeta
- 2004: Winner, Filmfare Best Screenplay Award for Munna Bhai M.B.B.S.
- 2001: Nominated, Filmfare Best Director Award for Mission Kashmir
- 2001: Nominated, Filmfare Best Movie Award for Mission Kashmir
- 1995: Nominated, Filmfare Best Director Award for 1942 A Love Story
- 1990: Winner, Filmfare Best Director Award for Parinda
National Awards
- 2008: Best Popular Film providing wholesome entertainment for Lage Raho Munnabhai
- 2008: Best Screenplay for Lage Raho Munnabhai
- 1977: Best Short Experimental Film for Murder At Monkey Hill
Stardust Awards
- 2009: Winner, Readers choice best film award for 3 Idiots
FICCI Awards
- 2009: Winner,Most Successful film of the year for 3 Idiots