The much-talked-about Netflix docu-series The Romantics, which is a tribute to the legacy of Yash Chopra, YRF, and its cultural impact on India and Indians for the past 50 years, was released on Feb 14 to unanimous acclaim and love.
The national over-pouring of love for Yash Chopra and YRF was evident as The Romantics became the Number 1 trending title on Netflix within 48 hours of its drop, a rare feat for a documentary! Shah Rukh Khan, who shared an incredible relationship with Yash Chopra and called him a father figure in his life, reveals how he never missed out on watching a Yash Chopra film whenever it released in theatres.
SRK, who collaborated with Yash Chopra on cult blockbusters like Darr, Dil Toh Pagal Hai, Veer Zaara, and Jab Tak Hai Jaan says, “Going to the theatre was a very big thing. Either it was an occasion, or it was a big film. When I was growing up, there was a multi-starrer which meant that many famous actors and actresses were in it. It was made by a gentleman named Yash Chopra and it was called Waqt.”
He adds, “In those years, directors were not public figures. There were two or three names that would circulate around as good filmmakers, great filmmakers or big filmmakers. Actually, I'll be honest it used to be people who made big films, those films just looked big and beautiful. But Mr. Yash Chopra was a guy you didn't miss a film of!”
SRK further says, “I had my own different impression of what Mr. Yash Chopra would look like. I’d assumed he would be this really tall, long hair, semi-hippie kind of guy, very cool, you know and knew love. So, I was a little taken aback. It was just this simple man, so straightforward, and so unlike what I had imagined him.”
From Aamir Khan to Salman Khan, from Shah Rukh Khan to Ranbir Kapoor, from Amitabh Bachchan to Ranveer Singh, from Rani Mukerji to Hrithik Roshan, from Katrina Kaif to Anushka Sharma, the mega-stars and icons of Hindi cinema have come together and spoken about Yash Chopra and YRF’s contribution to Indian cinema in The Romantics.
The Romantics has been directed by Oscar & Emmy-nominated filmmaker Smriti Mundhra, who returns to Netflix after the phenomenal success of Indian Matchmaking and the Never Have I Ever franchise.
Netflix, in this four-part docu-series, will also feature 35 leading personalities from the film industry, who have closely worked with YRF through its 50-year glorious existence.
Catch the trailer of The Romantics here:
Interestingly, the reclusive head of the iconic Yash Raj Films, Aditya Chopra, was also coaxed into recording his first on-camera interview for ‘The Romantics’! His insights about YRF and the Hindi film industry in this docu-series is a huge highlight for the film fraternity, cinephiles & Hindi cinema audience at large.
YRF is currently at an all-time high as their latest release Pathaan, the fourth film of YRF’s Spy Universe is breaking all records at the global box office. Pathaan is now the number one Hindi film worldwide and has become the biggest all-time blockbuster in the history of Hindi cinema with a worldwide gross collection currently at 1.08 crore