The Romantics, a brand-new four-part Netflix documentary series, explores the history and legacy of Yash Chopra and Yash Raj Films. The Romantics, a documentary effort of this nature, directed by Smriti Mundra takes us through the YRF repertoire by interviewing possibly the greatest line-up of Bollywood celebrities. From the newer generation of actors like Ranveer Singh, Ranbir Kapoor, Arjun Kapoor, Kajol, and Rani Mukerji to the three Khans, Amitabh Bachchan, Hrithik Roshan, Kajol, and Bhumi Pednekar, they are all represented.
This docu-series also gets the renowned Aditya Chopra on screen for the first time ever.
Here are 5 Revelations from The Romantics
1. Indian Film Stars Generally Dislike The Term “Bollywood”
There is a segment in The Romantics where the actors can be seen discussing the term “Bollywood.” It’s intriguing to note that the majority of them are irked at the idea of their industry being called Bollywood.
“I think you have to understand the disregard that most film people have for it is if they know the origins of it. A derogatory piece written about our films and how they felt we were a poor version of Hollywood.”
Abishek Bachan
The stars are of the opinion that the term “Bollywood” is a term colloquially given to them by the West. The mega-stars and icons of Hindi cinema, including Aamir Khan, Salman Khan, Shah Rukh Khan, Ranbir Kapoor, Amitabh Bachchan, Ranveer Singh, Salim Khan, Rani Mukerji, Hrithik Roshan, and Anushka Sharma, have all reservations about the use of the term “Bollywood” because they believe it excludes other film industries present inside of India and that the term makes it reductive.
2. Nepotism?
Aditya Chopra spoke extensively on nepotism, a concept that has been a topic of discussion for quite some time. Aditya claimed that everyone who benefits from the privileges they receive as a result of nepotism does not succeed.
“My brother is an actor, and he’s not a very successful actor. Now, here is the son of the biggest film makers, he’s a brother of a very big film maker. Imagine a company like YRF that has probably launched the most newcomers, and we could not make him a star. Why could we not do it for our own? Because the bottom line is, only an audience will decide, I like this person, I want to see this person”
Aditya Chopra
He used his brother Uday Chopra as an example, who, while belonging to, and being launched by the Chopra family, was unable to make it big in the Indian film industry. Just goes to show that audiences will decide ultimately who makes it and who doesn’t on the big screen, nepotism will have no weightage.
Hmm, while we agree to some extent, we’d say that child stars hailing from showbiz families always have a foot in the door, a chance to display their talent and fortune in the big, bad, glamourous world of showbiz whereas other, non entities with zero filmi backing might or might not get the break. Tell us if you agree!
3. Redefining contemporary Hindi Cinema
Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge is one of the most successful Indian movies of all time which changed the game of Indian cinema. The late Yash Chopra, who is frequently referred to as Bollywood’s “Father of Romance,” produced “DDLJ.” Also, it was his son Aditya Chopra’s first time directing. Together, they produced some of Bollywood’s most well-known romance movies, complete with hit songs and visually stunning production values that rewrote the rules of modern Indian filmmaking.
“He opened the film up to not just youngsters but also families. And it began a new era.”
Karan Johar
Simran and Raj, who are both of Indian descent but live in England, meet while touring Europe with their respective friends in the film “DDLJ,” which depicts their journey. Bollywood romances often concentrated on Indians living in India, but “DDLJ” shattered the paradigm by focusing on the love story of two Indians living abroad and by fusing Indian and Western customs for the first time. The film also altered the moral principles that have historically guided Indian love stories. For example, at the time, lead characters would frequently elope with one another if their families disapproved of their relationship. Nevertheless, in “DDLJ,” the male lead refuses to marry his Simran without getting her parents’ approval.
4. SRK & Romance
Shahrukh Khan sat down with Aditya, and they talked about a lot of movies, mostly action movies. When Aditya presented him with the romance film script for Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, SRK was surprised.
“Your eyes have something that can not be wasted on action”
Shahrukh Khan on Aditya’s response
Shahrukh Khan has played an instrumental role in making YRF the kind of production house it is today. Aditya shared an anecdote about how SRK came to play the iconic role in DDLJ. Shah Rukh Khan, he stated, was approached about the part but never acknowledged or denied it. Aditya once overheard an elderly woman, say that she would want to see the actor in a role where he is not completely covered in blood while on the movie set of Trimurti. Then Aditya informed Shah Rukh that the character he had created for SRK in DDLJ would make him more likable to the average Indians who enjoy making connections with what they see on screen.
To add some context, SRK had been playing negative roles prior to DDLJ – case in point Darr and Baazigar
5. Breaking The Mould
The series also highlights situations in which the Chopras’ relationships defied conventional norms. Women were portrayed in a more progressive way. For instance, Bhumi Pednekar who played the lead in “Dum Laga Ke Haisha”.
“I debuted as this overweight heroine which is unheard of in India, in a love story that is completely unheard.”
Bhumi Pednekar
Have you watched The Romantics yet? What struck you most about the series? Share your thoughts with us.
