B.R. Chopra cremated, Bollywood bids adieu to legendary director

Mumbai, Nov 5 (IANS) B.R. Chopra, who died at the age of 94, was cremated here Wednesday evening and Bollywood veterans like Dilip Kumar, writer Salim Khan and filmmaker Ramesh Sippy were present to bid adieu to the legendary filmmaker.

Chopra's son Ravi Chopra lit the funeral pyre at the Vile Parle Hindu Crematorium in northwest Mumbai as many senior members of the film fraternity looked on.

Scriptwriter Salim Khan was one of the early mourners to arrive at the cremation site. He described the late director as 'the last of the filmmakers who dared to make movies irrespective of their box-office prospects'.

'He was a respectable filmmaker who chose his subjects carefully to enlighten the viewers first and then to provide them entertainment and he blended the both seamlessly,' Khan said.

Bollywood thespian Dilip Kumar, who had earlier visited the Chopra residence to offer his condolences to the bereaved family, came for the funeral also, but left soon after.

The others who attended the cremation included filmmakers Ramesh Sippy, Aziz Mirza, Boney Kapoor, Govind Nihalani, actors Danny Denzongpa, Anupam Kher, Kiran Kumar, Annu Kapoor, writers Hassan Kamal, Pawan Kumar, Brij Katyal and singer Nitin Mukesh.

The younger generation of filmmakers and artistes were, however, conspicuous by their absence.

Chopra died at his Mumbai residence in suburban Juhu Wednesday after a prolonged illness.

The director had made successful films like 'Naya Daur', 'Gumrah', 'Humraaz', 'Dhundh' and 'Insaaf ka Tarazu'. Chopra also gave Indian television its most viewed epic series - 'Mahabharat'.

Besides son Ravi Chopra, the filmmaker is survived by his two daughters Shashi and Neena.

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