Aditya Chopra

Chopra, the elder son of the late filmmaker Yash Chopra and Pamela Chopra, was born on 21 May 1971. He completed his formal education and acquired his Indian Certificate of Secondary Education from Bombay Scottish School. He graduated from Sydenham College of Commerce and Economics along with Anil Thadani, Karan Johar and Abhishek Kapoor. He was married to Payal Khanna, until their divorce in 2009. The couple had no children. On 21 April 2014, he married actress Rani Mukerji in a private wedding ceremony in Italy. In December 2015, Rani gave birth to their daughter Adira Chopra.

Chopra started his film-making career at the age of 18 as an assistant director, working with his father on films such as Chandni (1989), Lamhe (1991) and Darr (1993). He also wrote his first screenplays for his father's Parampara (1992) and his mother's independently produced film Aaina (1993), which was the only film not directed by his father that he served as an assistant director on. Chopra, after gaining a respectable amount of experience, started independently at the age of 23 with the all-time blockbuster Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge, with Shahrukh Khan and Kajol, for which he was the director and writer. The film was scripted by Chopra and produced by his father Yash Chopra, under the YRF banner. Chopra started work on the script of the film in 1990, at the age of 19, and gradually spent time making about five drafts of the film's original script. Chopra even managed to convince his brother Uday Chopra and cousin Karan Johar, both aspiring filmmakers, to enter the film industry as assistant directors with the film. Chopra once said that the presence of his relatives during the making of the film worked as a huge emotional support. Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge eventually went on to become one of the biggest hits of all time and won the National Film Award for Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment.

Chopra eventually went on to write the dialogues and the story of his father's 1997 blockbuster Dil To Pagal Hai, (which won the National Award), also made under YRF. His next film as a director was Mohabbatein with Amitabh Bachchan and Shahrukh Khan which gave the yesteryear star a new life in his film career, and also launched his brother Uday Chopra into the film industry. The film was also written and co-produced by Chopra and fared very well at the box office. The next film under the banner was Mere Yaar Ki Shaadi Hai, in 2002 which also starred his brother Uday alongside Bipasha Basu. The film did moderately well at the box office.

In 2004, Chopra produced Hum Tum, Dhoom and Veer Zaara (for which he was also the screenwriter) under the YRF banner. All three films went on to become critical and commercial blockbusters, earning more than ₹199 crore (US$28 million) (unadjusted for inflation) in the worldwide market. The films became the seventh, fourth and highest-grossing Indian films of 2004. The company won most of the Indian film awards in the year, with Veer Zaara also winning the National Award. This was considered a major breakthrough for this film producing company and cemented its position as the leader of the Indian Entertainment for the following decades, to date.

After constantly delivering musical successes such as Darr, Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge and Dil To Pagal Hai throughout the years of its existence, the company decided to leverage on their growing clout in the music industry. YRF established their independent feature music distribution leg under the name YRF Music in 2004. The leg was developed for the purpose of digital as well as physical distribution of all the film soundtracks released under the banner. The first soundtrack to be distributed under YRF Music was the company's critical and commercial musical blockbuster Veer Zaara. The leg established careers of many budding music composers throughout the years, who leveraged themselves by scoring music for YRF projects such as Jatin-Lalit (Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge), Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy (Bunty Aur Babli), Pritam (Dhoom), Vishal-Shekhar (Salaam Namaste), Salim-Sulaiman (Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi), Amit Trivedi (Ishaqzaade), Ram Sampath (Luv Ka The End), Sajid-Wajid (Daawat-e-Ishq), Sohail Sen (Mere Brother Ki Dulhan), Raghu Dixit (Mujhse Fraaandship Karoge), Sachin-Jigar (Shuddh Desi Romance) and Amartya Rahut (Aurangzeb).

The Walt Disney Company entered Indian Entertainment in 2007 through a three-film co-production agreement (Ta Ra Rum Pum, Thoda Pyaar Thoda Magic and Roadside Romeo) with YRF. Disney's move was seen as a bid to increase its global clout and finally enter the increasingly lucrative Indian Cinema arena. The company offered a 49% acquisition of YRF at ₹2,500 crore (US$350 million) (unadjusted for inflation) in 2009, which took the valuation of the Indian entertainment company to ₹5,000 crore (equivalent to ₹100 billion or US$1.4 billion in 2019), at the time. YRF however declined the acquisition offer made by the American conglomerate.

Chopra then produced and wrote several other highly commercial and critically acclaimed films over the years, namely Bunty Aur Babli, Salaam Namaste, Fanaa, Dhoom 2 and Chak De India (which also won the National Award). Chopra also made his third film as a director in 2008 with Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi starring Shahrukh Khan and launching newcomer Anushka Sharma. The film became the highest-grossing film for Shahrukh Khan and YRF at that time, grossing ₹172 crore (US$24 million) in the worldwide market. These films established them as one the most powerful film production companies in Indian cinema, giving Aditya Chopra an estimated net worth of ₹6,350 crore (US$890 million) (trade and stock market estimate) and making Chopra one of the most influential people in the country.

Photographers of the Indian media caught a glimpse of the extremely reclusive Chopra on 27 December 2008. Chopra's Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi and Aamir Khan's Ghajini were the two big Indian releases of the year 2008 and were pitted against each other by the Press; Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi was to release on Diwali and Ghajini was to release on Christmas, with a gap of a few weeks between them. Chopra was present at a private screening of Ghajini that was held by Khan, for members of the film industry. Chopra was seen leaving through the back entrance of the theatre premise around 2 AM, just before the end credits of the film. On spotting multiple journalists outside the venue, he reportedly panicked and desperately sprinted towards his car to avoid being photographed. Chopra pulled down the sun visor of his car and hid inside it as he drove away. He even dropped his phone and damaged it, in the process. Images of a scared and petrified Chopra covering his face with his arms became front-page news of a leading Indian tabloid. The article called Chopra a very powerful man, behaving like a trapped animal, even though it carried a statement by "one of his close friends" who called him a simple, introverted guy. The event however fuelled further reports of Chopra suffering from an alleged social anxiety disorder and/or APD.

The company saw an all-time low, with several of their high budgeted films not doing well at the box office, despite favourable critical reviews and the company thereby suffering losses amounting to millions from 2007 to 2010. The films broke YRF's perfect success ratio and were oddly released one after another. Some of the most unsuccessful films produced under the banner were Jhoom Barabar Jhoom, Laaga Chunari Mein Daag, Tashan, Thoda Pyaar Thoda Magic, Roadside Romeo, and Pyaar Impossible. Chopra then took over as the Vice Chairman of Yash Raj Films in 2010, soon after the release of the film Badmaash Company under the same banner.

In 2011, a 99% share acquisition offer by Disney was accepted by UTV at ₹2,000 crore (US$280 million) (unadjusted for inflation). The two companies together established Disney UTV, that functioned as the Indian subsidiary of the American company. In December 2016, Disney announced that is restructuring its Indian operations and UTV will no longer produce movies and will focus only on distribution of its Hollywood films.

In 2011, the company took the critical decision of banking on the successes of 3 Idiots, Ra.One and Bodyguard and went into production of three individual mainstream films with Aamir Khan for Dhoom 3 (for which Chopra wrote the story), Shahrukh Khan for Jab Tak Hai Jaan (for which Chopra wrote the story, screenplay and dialogue) and with Salman Khan for Ek Tha Tiger (for which Chopra wrote the story), a feat that has never been achieved by any film production company to date. The move was seen as a landmark deal by YRF as it engaged three of the most successful box office actors of Indian Cinema in independent projects at the time. Moreover, the three films turned out to be the most expensive productions by YRF; Ek Tha Tiger was produced at ₹75 crore (US$11 million), Jab Tak Hai Jaan was produced at ₹60 crore (US$8.4 million) and Dhoom 3 was produced at ₹150 crore (US$21 million).

After the demise of his father Yash Chopra in October 2012, Aditya Chopra was elevated to the position of Chairman and Chief Executive of the company's studio wing. Facing overwhelming pressure by the Indian bourses to be publicly listed around the same period, the company went for a soft-Launch on 3 January 2013.

Moreover, in 2012, Ajay Devgan, Viacom 18 Motion Pictures and Eros International together moved the Competition Commission of India against Yash Raj Films and Aditya Chopra, accusing the company of using monopolistic business practices and rampantly abusing their dominant position and clout in the Entertainment Industry of India by entering into a tie-in arrangement with 1,500 single screen film exhibitors (out of a total of 2,100) of India, that obliged them to showcase the company's Jab Tak Hai Jaan (and not Son of Sardar) on the Diwali week of 2012 and continue its theatrical run for two weeks after the worldwide release. The trio eventually moved the Competition Appellate Tribunal on 30 October 2012 against YRF but were turned down by the bench heading the Tribunal.

Both films opened on 13 November 2012; Jab Tak Hai Jaan released on 3500 screens and Son of Sardar released on 2000 screens, in the worldwide market. However, in November 2013, the CCI dismissed the case filing as they found YRF to not be in contravention of the Competition Act of India; YRF won the case.

In November 2012, YRF green-lit their first Indian-American war drama co-production titled Paani with DreamWorks Pictures. The film was to be helmed by Shekhar Kapur and Sushant Singh Rajput was signed for the lead role in December of the same year. Principal photography was to start in June 2013, and it was planned as a December 2015 release by both Chopra and Kapur. A. R. Rahman was roped in to score the music of the film and pre-production work started in January 2013 with the entire cast and crew at YRF Studios.

Apart from film production, Chopra's YRF also distributed (theatrical, home entertainment and satellite) and canvassed a wide variety of Independent films that came out of the Parallel Cinema industry of India, such as Godmother (1999), Zubeidaa (2001), Maqbool (2004), Meenaxi: A Tale of Three Cities (2004), Black (2005), My Brother Nikhil (2005), Mangal Pandey: The Rising (2005) and Maine Gandhi Ko Nahin Mara (2005), that helped them leverage with a powerful film production house such as his, and thereby reach a wider audience on their release. YRF Distributors also released several big-budgeted films such as Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998), Biwi No.1 (1999), Kaho Naa Pyaar Hai (2000), Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham (2001), Koi Mil Gaya (2003), Kal Ho Naa Ho (2003), Krrish (2006) and Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna (2006). In 2013, the company's distribution leg reportedly sold the satellite rights of its highly anticipated venture Dhoom 3 for ₹75 crore (US$11 million). to Sony Entertainment Television.

Sensing a keen following of Indian Cinema in Japan during the Festival de Cannes, YRF Studios decided to re-release Ek Tha Tiger on 8 March 2013 and Jab Tak Hai Jaan on 20 April 2013 in an association with The Nikkatsu Corporation. The deal was further extended to the release of Dhoom 3 on 25 December 2013 during the MAMI Film Festival.

The next film to be released under YRF Entertainment is The Grace of Monaco starring Nicole Kidman and Tim Roth. The film is co-produced by Arash Amel. Primary filming of the project is complete and the film is slated for a March 2014 release. The company also announced its maiden Anglo-Indian film project that would be co-produced by Mira Nair under the Mirabai Films banner and directed by Shimit Amin. In 2013, the company also announced its next venture, Seducing Ingrid Bergman based on the life of Ingrid Bergman, written by Chris Greenhalgh and Arash Amel.

YRF forayed into regional Indian film production in 2013, with Aaha Kalyanam, a remake of their 2010 critical and commercial blockbuster Band Baaja Baaraat starring Nani and debutant Vaani Kapoor. The Tamil-Telugu bilingual project would be directed by Gokul Krishna and produced by Chopra. YRF plans to launch both the lead actress and director with this film. The untitled film completed the first schedule of its principal photography in Chennai in May 2013, with the next two schedules to be held in Hyderabad and Mysore in July 2013. Moreover, the studio also released Tamil and Telugu versions of its Dhoom 3 for the South Indian market. The company plans to deliver remakes from its existing catalog as well as new and original regional content (in Tamil and Telugu), but also content that is set to break into other regional film markets (Malayalam and Tulu) of the south.

In February 2013, Sanjay Leela Bhansali offered Rajput the lead role in his Shakespearean romantic-tragedy Ram-Leela, which was scheduled to be shot throughout the year 2013. Chopra, however, advised Rajput to turn down the role to focus solely on Paani and led Bhansali to sign Ranveer Singh (through YRF Talent) instead. In November 2013, Chopra shelved Paani stating the poor financial performance of Rajput's Shuddh Desi Romance and affordability issues faced by YRF during pre-production work. Ram-Leela meanwhile opened to overwhelming critical and box office success in the same period with both Bhansali and Singh being awarded extensively for their work.

Raees was a film produced by Excel Entertainment and Red Chillies Entertainment helmed by Rahul Dholakia. Principal photography of the film was completed in April 2015 and a few months were allotted to its post-production work. A teaser/trailer of the film was released across social media platforms and attached to Bajrangi Bhaijaan on 17 July 2015 announcing it as a 5 July 2016 release; packaged and presented as an Eid project. However, sensing an opportunity in the same period, YRF went ahead to green-light its own Sultan, slated for release on the same day, in January 2016. Principal photography with Salman Khan and Anushka Sharma was completed in 3 months followed by post-production work being completed in May. A teaser/trailer and other marketing material featuring both Khan and Sharma were released simultaneously starting in April across platforms and networks. The film was ready for a 5 July release and as a result, around 4230 theatre screens available in India would have been divided among the two films.

Rajput was later signed for two other independent YRF projects; Detective Byomkesh Bakshy scheduled to release in April 2015 and Befikre which was scheduled for December 2016. However, in October 2015, Rajput's contract with YRF Talent was terminated after the box office failure of Detective Byomkesh Bakshy and he was replaced by Ranveer Singh in Befikre.

In September 2015, YRF announced Chopra's directorial comeback, titled Befikre, scheduled for a December 2016 release. In October 2015, it was announced that Ranveer Singh and Vaani Kapoor would be cast in the lead roles. In December 2015, YRF announced that the music of the film will be produced by Vishal-Shekhar and Jaideep Sahni, both of whom would return to collaborate with YRF after roughly 9 years. This would mark Chopra's directorial comeback after roughly 8 years (his Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi released in 2008). A theatrical trailer of the film was released at the Eiffel Tower and across social media platforms in the month of October. The film was budgeted at ₹70 crore (US$9.8 million) (including P&A) and released across 2900 screens worldwide on 9 December 2016. It opened to widespread negative reviews across platforms and faced heavy losses to its business because of the currency demonetisation implied by the Government of India a few days prior to its release. The film managed to gross ₹63 crore (US$8.8 million) after a two-week theatrical run at the global box office failing to manage break-even business for YRF.

Sultan eventually released on 6 July 2016, as planned by YRF, across 4310 Indian screens and 1130 screens internationally, to gross ₹501 crore (US$70 million) in the worldwide market and Raees was postponed to 26 January 2017, scheduled to release alongside Kaabil on the same day.