14th February, Mumbai: Switzerland is paying tribute to the legendary filmmaker Yash Chopra, saluting his contribution of having showcased Switzerland’s beauty to Indians through the magic of his cinema.
The much-awaited Netflix docu-series, The Romantics is a celebration of the legacy of Yash Chopra, YRF and the cultural impact it has had on Indians over the past 50 years. It is set to release this Tuesday, the 14th of February.
Remo Käser, Director of Sales Jungfrau Railways, Switzerland, reveals, “The legend, Yash Chopra, has presented the beauty of Switzerland and especially the Jungfrau Region to Indians across the world for generations, through his beautiful, soulful cinema. Indians, who come to Jungfraujoch – Top of Europe year on year, have always spoken to us about how the romantic films of Yash Chopra have pushed them to visit the Jungfrau Region and Interlaken and make memories for a lifetime.”
The Swiss authorities will celebrate Yash Chopra’s legacy across the country, especially in places where the filmmaker shot mega-hits like Darr and Chandni. His son Aditya Chopra also shot the all-time blockbuster, Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge in Switzerland.
Every Indian has been enchanted by Switzerland’s snow-capped mountains, lush valleys and pristine lakes in large part because of Yash Chopra’s films. It is said that he visited Switzerland for his honeymoon and was smitten by the country instantly. The Swiss government has continuously honoured the legendary filmmaker through the years.
In 2011, Switzerland’s Jungfrau Railways inaugurated a train named after him — an honour shared only with the railway’s founder, Adolf Guyer. The train featured his signature and name on a signboard. In May 2016, a bronze statue of Yash Chopra was installed by the Switzerland government as a tribute, near the Congress Centre in Interlaken, a popular tourist spot.
At the prestigious Victoria-Jungfrau Grand Hotel & Spa, a special deluxe cinema-themed suite was named after Yash Chopra. In 2011, the film-maker inaugurated the suite. Lake Lauenen, in the Canton of Berne, is referred to as Lake Chopra! The Swiss government honoured Yash Chopra with the title of Ambassador of Interlaken, making him the first recipient of the award. He was also bestowed the Swiss Ambassador’s Award.
Remo adds, “Switzerland and India have a great bond of mutual respect and admiration and Yash Chopra has played a monumental role in solidifying the relationship between our great nations. Switzerland is only too proud to celebrate his legacy here.”
From Aamir Khan to Salman Khan, Shah Rukh Khan to Ranbir Kapoor, Amitabh Bachchan to Ranveer Singh, Rani Mukerji to Hrithik Roshan, Katrina Kaif to Anushka Sharma, the mega-stars and icons of Hindi cinema have come together to speak about Yash Chopra and YRF’s contribution to Indian cinema in The Romantics.
The Romantics has been directed by Oscar & Emmy-nominated film-maker Smriti Mundhra, who returns to Netflix after the phenomenal success of Indian Matchmaking and the Never Have I Ever Season 3.
Netflix, in this four-part docu-series, will feature 35 leading personalities from the film industry, who have closely worked with YRF through its 50 year glorious existence.
Interestingly, the reclusive head of the iconic Yash Raj Films, Aditya Chopra, has also recorded his first on-camera interview for The Romantics! Hearing him share insights about YRF and the Hindi film industry in this docu-series is bound to be a huge highlight for the film fraternity, cinephiles & Hindi cinema audience at large.
The trailer of The Romantics has been appreciated globally. Netflix will release The Romantics on Feb 14, 2023 as a tribute to Yash Chopra, who is regarded as the ‘Father of Romance’ in India because of his iconic romantic films like Silsila, Lamhe, Kabhi Kabhie, Veer-Zaara, Dil To Pagal Hai, Chandni, Jab Tak Hai Jaan, etc.