Legendary Filmmaker Vidhu Vinod Chopra Reflects on Bollywood's Highs and Lows

In a 2003 interview that has only now been published, renowned filmmaker and producer Vidhu Vinod Chopra offered a scathing critique of the current state of mainstream Hindi cinema. The 73-year-old industry veteran expressed his disappointment with the quality of Bollywood films in recent years, stating that he could not find a single movie he would want to see.

Chopra reserved particular praise for the 2001 film Lagaan, calling it the "only film I liked in recent years." However, he was highly critical of other acclaimed movies, including Devdas, which he said he had "great reservations" about, despite it being made by someone close to him.

The producer also reflected on his own filmmaking journey, noting that he had been considered an "outsider" in Bollywood. Chopra revealed that he had the opportunity to live in Los Angeles at the age of 23 when his film Parinda was nominated for an Oscar, but chose to remain in India, a country he still loves deeply.

Chopra's high opinion of himself was evident as he recounted an incident where a man he had helped after a road accident recognized him on a talk show years later. The producer stated that the "real tragedy of the human race" is that people are praised for doing what should be instinctive acts of kindness.

As Chopra celebrates his 73rd birthday, this rare glimpse into his candid views on the film industry provides a fascinating insight into the mind of a legendary Bollywood figure.