The Bollywood industry has a new documentary that traces its history and pays tribute to its most prominent filmmaker, Yash Chopra, and his production company, Yash Raj Films. The new Netflix docuseries, ‘The Romantics’, explores the legacy of the legendary director, from his big break to the highs and lows of his career. With never-before-seen archival footage and interviews with some of the biggest names in Bollywood, the series is a celebration of the industry constructed for superfans but also serves as an entry point for the uninitiated. It was released on Valentine’s Day on Netflix and is directed by Smriti Mundhra, whose father was the first to screen Bollywood movies in the U.S. at the Meralta Theatre.
The documentary features 35 recognizable talents, including Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan, and Rani Mukerji, who owe their careers to Chopra. The series explores the institutional and political issues that shaped the industry, and viewers hear from Chopra’s wife Pamela, and his sons Uday and Aditya, who carried the torch for his father. Mundhra hopes that the series will be a nostalgia trip for die-hard fans, and an accessible entry point for those curious about the billion-dollar industry.
The documentary highlights how Chopra’s pioneering and sometimes risky approach changed the focus of Hindi-language films from action movies to popular love stories, such as ‘Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge’ and ‘Mohabbatein’. The series also explores why the term Bollywood is an imperfect title and how the word places the industry in the shadow of Hollywood.
But The Romantics is more than just a celebration of Yash Chopra’s films; it seeks to understand the shape of the industry and its outsized impact as not just a source of entertainment but also a statement about the people of India. The series provides a certain level of education, from explaining who Yash Chopra is and which films he is responsible for, to learn how the idea of Bollywood as a romance machine is something that only really began in the 1990s.
Get a gist of it here!
The Romantics is chock full of anecdotes, interpretations, and a level of excitement and energy that is honestly contagious. The docuseries is a must-watch for Bollywood superfans but also offers enough to love for anyone remotely interested in the Hindi film industry. So, grab your popcorn and get ready for a four-part journey into the heart of Bollywood’s most influential director as it’s a must-watch.
Leave a comment