My Goodbye to The greatest Bollywood Legend of all Time

Goodbye King of Romance

I was a bright eyed , sharp tongued , quick footed kid. I had short , black hair , stubby little hands and was dressed in dungarees and shorts all the time. No frills or frocks for me , no roses and satin sashes , no dolls and flower baskets. I was far removed from the pretty little girls you would probably see on the cover of some pre pubescent adventure series. I wasn’t full of sugar and spice , though there were a lot of things nice about me . My mother fretted over her failed attempts to turn me into a little lady. My father cheerfully accepted me as his second son. Infact , many of the shopkeepers around called me “ lil boy “ frequently. I did’nt bother correcting them.

Then somebody called Chandni exploded on screen.

Sridevi , a famous actress of the 90’s ( I loved her fab comic timing and her ability to beat up the boys) , suddenly donned salwars of some flowing material ( the opulence of chiffon was yet to tantalize me) , sang melodious songs and her eyes turned misty whenever she thought of the man in the movie. I was three when this movie released and all I remember is this dreamy eyed , raven haired damsel who stands on a hill , with a yellow dupatta flowing behind her. It was the beginning of many such lovely visions. It was also the beginning of the maiden in me.

 Pooja . Nisha. Anjali. Zaara. ….they opened up a whole new world for me.  They were Chopra’s depictions of the Indian Woman …one that appealed to millions of women the world over. They were strong ,elegant , colourful women…..someone we all wanted to be. They helped me embrace feminity – wearing jhumkas , flowing dupattas , twirling with ghungroos , learning Kathak…I have a lot to thank Yashji for. So whenever , Karishma smiled mischieviosuly , I did the same. When the characteristic yellow dupatta flowed on screen , I thought of my own yellow dupatta . I made sure that , even to this day , I have one in my wardrobe. Whenever Juhi  longingly looked for her love , Madhuri dropped her gaze when she was shy or Kajol danced in the rain…..i vicariously lived it all.

The yellow dupatta. They all wore it. The shade ranged from canary to buttercup yellow. Sometimes , it had lace or sequins , not unlike a lot of the embellishments Chopra ji made to his movies . I had a new one every two years or so  and whenever I proudly wore it , I was one of them.

Somewhere down the lane , I grew up. My bangles made way for a sensible watch. My dramatics became subdued and so did my colours.  Whether it’s enjoying a good movie , learning to dance wholeheartedly or simply waiting for another Shahrukh extravaganza , I still had a lot to thank Yashji for.

Yash Chopra was the king of romance. His movies were ethereal and magical. Yashji was a magician who’s enchantment in Bollywood can never be paralleled. His legacy will live on through his stories and the unforgettable characters he created.

Since Yashji was all about romance , I hope he puts in a good word for me in that department .

Meanwhile , I’ll still keep that yellow dupatta flying…..