Thanks to Chopra's films, Switzerland has long been a dream destination for Indians.
"Switzerland has always been my first choice of destination for shooting outside India. Be it for its picture-perfect snowcapped mountains or lush green fields, it is truly a heaven on earth that has made every angle, every shot, and every frame of my movies breathtaking with the scenes vividly etched in people’s minds."
Think about Switzerland, and if you are a Bollywood fan, the first image to come to your mind would be of Sridevi or Juhi Chawla draped in chiffon saree in the backdrop of the Swiss Alps. Well, Switzerland has long been a favorite of Bollywood, and the foremost credit for that goes to Yash Chopra. Be it the picturesque snow-capped Alps, the captivating meadows, or the majestic streams - Yash Ji captured the ethereal beauty of Switzerland in his films, making us fall in love with the country.
As we are celebrating Tourism Week, let's throw some light on the incredible love story that Yash Chopra had with Switzerland.
"Switzerland happened because we could no longer go to Kashmir. That was the only reason. Plus, the infrastructure in Switzerland is so simple that anybody can go and shoot there; you hardly need any permission. In India, if you have to shoot in a train, you have to start the paperwork six months ahead with various organizations. But there, the person who is present at the station is in charge and he has the authority to tell you whether you can shoot or not." - said Pamela Chopra in an interview.
Bollywood filmmakers Raj Kapoor and Shakti Samanta had previously shot in Switzerland, but it was Yash Chopra who captured its raw beauty and made it a serious hit among Indians. He shot films like 'Darr', 'Lamhe', and 'Chandni' there, and through his lens, Switzerland looked nothing less than heaven for us!
(Credit: YRF)
The song and dance sequences in Chopra's films, shot in Switzerland, became so popular that it made almost all Bollywood filmmakers at the time want to go to the European country and shoot a sequence. In the 1990s and early 2000s, there was a series of Hindi films shot there, including 'Ajnabee', 'Dhai Akshar Prem Ke', 'Hero No.1', 'Biwi No. 1', 'Hero-Love Story of a Spy', 'Yes Boss', and 'Ishq' among others.
Well, of course, it was the 1995 film 'Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge', directed by Aditya Chopra and produced by Yash Chopra, that turned out to be the milestone. Upon the film's release, everyone (okay, almost) of the young generation wanted to go on a trip to Switzerland.
As actor Shah Rukh Khan, after the demise of Yash Chopra, said in an interview, "We don’t feel emotionally and mentally ready to go to Switzerland and shoot without Yash ji. You don’t go to Switzerland without Yash Chopra."
Swiss tourism offers a guided tour of the places where Yash Ji shot his films.
Back in 2016, the Switzerland government installed a bronze statue of Chopra near the Congress Centre in Interlaken. The statue was inaugurated by his wife Pamela and actress (his daughter-in-law) Rani Mukherjee.
Switzerland’s Jungfrau Railways launched a train named after Chopra, featuring his signature and name on a signboard. Also, Lake Lauenen, located in the Canton of Berne, is unofficially known as Lake Chopra in honor of Yash Chopra. On the other hand, there is a deluxe cinema-themed suite at the Victoria-Jungfrau Grand Hotel & Spa named after Chopra.
As Remo Kaser, Director of Sales Jungfrau Railways, Switzerland, said in a statement: "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."
