The grand premiere of Jab Tak Hai Jaan on November 12 will see all the heroines who have ever worked with the late filmmaker gather on one platform

Subhash K Jha (MUMBAI MIRROR; October 30, 2012)

 

While the film industry is yet to come to terms with Yash Chopra’s sudden and unfortunate demise, his bereaved family has announce a ‘grand’ premiere for the filmmaker’s last offering Jab Tak Hai Jaan.

Scheduled for November 12, the event will see who’s who of the industry and more importantly, all heroines who has ever worked with the late director through his career.

Incidentally, the reaction to this big announcement is one of surprise considering a majority of leading film families deciding not to celebrate Diwali as a mark of respect to the man who defined romance in mainstream Hindi cinema.

A leading producer-distributor known to throw lavish Diwali parties said, “We have decided to call off our Diwali celebrations. But then we heard that Yashji’s family is planning a grand premiere for Jab Tak Hai Jaan. If the family is not averse to a celebration (for whatever reason), then we see no logic in cancelling our Diwali rituals.”

Said Rakesh Roshan, “We’ll do the puja at home and meet our friends and relatives. That’s it.” Most people including the Bachchans, Shabana Azmi-Javed Akhtar and the Kapoor family are planning on a subdued celebration. A member of the Kapoor family said, “Not because we want to show the world that we are grieving for Yashji but with him gone, we definitely don’t feel like going wild over this Diwali.”

Then again, everyone associated with YRF is gearing up for the Jab Tak Hai Jaan premiere. Actors and filmmakers who were expected to be out of country will now ensure their presence at the do.

A friend of the Chopras said, “All the actresses who ever worked with Yashji, from Mala Sinha, to Sharmila Tagore and Rakhee to Madhuri Dixit and Sridevi to Katrina Kaif and Anushka Sharma will be there at the premiere. I think they are planning a special tribute to the heroines of Yash Chopra.”

“We Had 12 Sarees For Switzerland”

At an event held at YRF Studios in Mumbai, the leading actors of Jab Tak Hai Jaan – Shah Rukh Khan, Katrina Kaif and Anushka Sharma – shared interesting anecdotes about the film.

“My father usually doesn’t watch too many films. One day, I spotted him watching TV and crying. Later he told that he was watching Veer-Zaara on television.

Katrina recalled the Swiss schedule saying Manish Malhotra had made 12 sarees and Yashji had planned a water sequence with her and Shah Rukh. “We were joking about the lakes being cold”, the actress said. The highpoint of the do was the food served to the media – chicken tikka, chicken reshmi, paratha, chole, jalabi, rabadi – all of which were the late director’s favourites.

-Mehul S Thakkar