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Ravi Chopra (27 September 1946 – 12 November 2014) was an Indian filmmaker, best known for directing the television show Mahabharat (1988–1990).
Ravi Chopra | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | 27 September 1946 |
| Died | 12 November 2014 (aged 68) |
| Education | St. Xavier's College, Mumbai (BA) |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 1969–2009 |
| Spouse |
Renu Chopra (m. 1975) |
| Children | 2 |
| Father | B.R. Chopra |
| Family | Chopra family |
Chopra was the son of producer and director B.R. Chopra and nephew of Yash Chopra and Yash Johar. Karan Johar, Aditya Chopra and Uday Chopra are his cousins.
He was married to Renu since 1975, they have two children together.
On 23 October 2012, he was diagnosed with a severe lung ailment and was discharged from Breach Candy Hospital after a week. "He was discharged from hospital on October 26," hospital sources said, without going into details. He was being treated for lung cancer at CMC Vellore.[1] Chopra died on 12 November 2014 at Breach Candy Hospital in Mumbai where he had been admitted a few days earlier for a lung ailment. He was 68 years old, and survived by his wife and two children.[2][3][4]
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Film career
Chopra started his career assisting his father B.R. Chopra in films like, Dastaan (1972) and Dhund (1973). He also assisted his uncle Yash Chopra in Ittefaq (1969). Eventually, he made his independent directorial debut with Zameer (1975), produced under the family banner, B. R. Films. In 1980, he directed the ensemble disaster film The Burning Train, which over the years is considered a cult classic.[5] Other films he directed included Mazdoor (1983), Aaj Ki Awaaz, Dehleez (1986), Pratigyabadh, Kal Ki Awaz (1992). Then he, along with his father, directed TV series Mahabharat (1988–89)
Since 2006, the only movies Ravi produced after his father's death was Bhoothnath (2008).
Television career
Ravi directed the highly successful television serial Mahabharat, which aired during 1988–1990, and the television mini-series, Ramayan, which was aired in 2002. He also directed mythological shows like Vishnu Puran and Ma Shakti. His TV series Aap Beeti was one of the most popular TV show on Doordarshan National in the early 2000s.
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Chopra was served with a legal notice in 2009 by 20th Century Fox, which charged that Banda Yeh Bindaas Hai blatantly plagiarised their 1992 film My Cousin Vinny.[6] Chopra and the production company, BR Films, denied the charges in court in May 2009. The film's release was to be delayed until June 2009 by order of the Bombay High Court.[7][8]
A lawsuit was filed against BR Films by 20th Century Fox for copying their film without buying the rights.[8][9] Fox sought damages of $1.4 million; they had given Chopra permission "to make a film loosely based on the Academy Award winning movie" but concluded the final product was a "substantial reproduction" of the original.[10] Fox eventually accepted a $200,000 settlement from the film's producer.[11] Although since the death of Ravi Chopra in 2014, it has not seen a theatrical release.[12][13]
The Telegraph, listing a number of other Bollywood movies "inspired" by Hollywood blockbusters, noted that the case would "decide whether Indian filmmakers can continue to get their 'inspiration' with impunity, or buy rights the legal way."[9]
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Films
| Year | Title | Director | Producer | Writer | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1969 | Ittefaq | No | No | No | Assistant director only |
| 1972 | Dastaan | No | No | No | |
| 1973 | Dhund | Associate | No | No | |
| 1975 | Zameer | Yes | No | No | |
| 1978 | Tumhari Kasam | Yes | No | No | |
| 1980 | The Burning Train | Yes | No | Yes | |
| Insaf Ka Tarazu | No | Associate | No | ||
| 1981 | Agni Pareeksha | No | Associate | No | |
| 1982 | Nikaah | No | Associate | No | |
| Teri Meri Kahani | No | Associate | No | Television film | |
| 1983 | Dharti Aakash | No | Associate | No | |
| Mazdoor | Yes | No | No | ||
| 1984 | Aaj Ki Awaaz | Yes | Associate | No | |
| 1986 | Dahleez | Yes | Associate | No | |
| 1987 | Awam | No | Associate | No | |
| 1991 | Pratigyabadh | Yes | No | No | |
| 1992 | Kal Ki Awaz | Yes | Yes | No | Co-directed with B.R. Chopra |
| 1999 | Eastside | No | Yes | Yes | |
| 2003 | Baghban | Yes | No | No | |
| 2004 | Karma | No | Yes | No | Short film |
| 2006 | Baabul | Yes | No | Yes | |
| 2008 | Heaven on Earth | No | Executive | No | |
| Bhoothnath | No | Yes | No | ||
| 2009 | Cooking with Stella | No | Executive | No | |
| Banda Yeh Bindaas Hai | Yes | Yes | No | Unreleased |
Television
| Year | Title | Director | Producer |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1986 | Bahadur Shah Zafar | Yes | Yes |
| 1987 | Chunni | Yes | No |
| 1988–1990 | Mahabharat | Yes | No |
| 1993–1996 | Kanoon | Yes | No |
| 1995 | Ek Se Badhkar Ek | Yes | No |
| 1995–1996 | Jhansi Ki Rani | Yes | No |
| 1997 | Aurat | Yes | Yes |
| 1997–1998 | Mahabharat Katha | Yes | Yes |
| 2000–2002 | Vishnu Puran | Yes | No |
| 2001 | Aap Beeti | Yes | Yes |
| 2001–2002 | Ramayan | Yes | Yes |
| 2002–2003 | Maa Shakti | Yes | Yes |
| 2004–2005 | Kamini Damini | Yes | Yes |
| 2008 | Sujata | No | Yes |
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In 1985, Chopra was nominated for Best Director at the 32nd Filmfare Awards for his film Aaj Ki Awaaz (1984).[14]
In 2004, he was nominated at the IIFA Awards and Screen Awards for Best Director for his film Baghban (2003).[15][16]
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