JTHJ: Yash Chopa to direct last-ever scene, plans are to make it big

Yash Chopra prepares to say goodbye to direction with Jab Tak Hai Jaan (JTHJ), his assistant directors (who have worked with him for years) are busy designing a spectacular souvenir for the king of romance. They want this to be their special gift to their mentor.

The unit of the film will soon head to Switzerland to shoot the only remaining song — a romantic number with Shah Rukh Khan and Katrina Kaif — with Chopra behind the camera. Says a source from the film’s set, “Adi (Aditya Chopra), who is an assistant director on the film, along with the other ADs, came up with the idea of making the last shot magnificent. To make it stand out, they’ve decided to use multiple cameras and shoot from various angles, giving it a multi-dimensional feel. Yashji is a living legend, and obviously, his last shot has to be a huge moment.”

SRK in a still from JTHJ

Katrina, who is in Chicago, USA, isn’t aware of the development yet, but she says whatever the plans are, she is lucky and privileged to be part of the film. “This movie will always be special as it is Yashji’s last direction. I truly feel lucky that he gave me a chance to be part of his rich history. Like I’ve said earlier, your CV is not complete unless you’ve worked with Yashji. He takes romance to a different level!”

Son Adi, however, will give this special trip a miss due to other commitments in Mumbai. “It’s a special moment for the unit. We’re planning to shoot it in a grand way to be able to freeze that moment for posterity,” says the spokesperson of JTHJ. The 80-year-old director wielded the megaphone after a gap of eight years for this film. And then, he decided to hang up his boots and mentor budding directors.

Yash Chopra started his journey in the film industry as an assistant to IS Johar and then joined his brother BR Chopra, who was a director-producer at the time. In 1959, he made his directorial debut with Dhool Ka Phool.

Source: Hindustan Times