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Yash Johar (6 September 1929 – 26 June 2004) was an Indian film producer and the founder of Dharma Productions. His films featured lavish sets, were often set in "exotic" locations, and incorporated Indian traditions and family values. He was the father of Karan Johar, now a noted filmmaker himself.

Personal life

Johar was born on 6 September 1929 in Amritsar, Punjab, in a Punjabi Hindu family associated with the Arya Samaj. He was married to Hiroo, sister of filmmakers B. R. Chopra and Yash Chopra. He died on 26 June 2004 in Mumbai, aged 74, of a chest infection, though he had also been fighting cancer. After his death, his son took over Dharma Productions.

Career

Johar began his career as a publicist and still photographer in the early 1950s, working on the film Badal (1951). He worked for Sashadhar Mukherjee's production company Filmistan as a production executive on the film Love in Simla (1960). In 1962, he joined Sunil Dutt's production house Ajanta Arts. He was a production controller for films like Mujhe Jeene Do and Yeh Raaste Hai Pyaar Ke. He helped filmmaker Dev Anand handle the production of his 1965 film Guide, which was successful at the box office. He continued with Dev Anand's Navketan Films and handled production of films like Jewel Thief, Prem Pujari and Hare Rama Hare Krishna.

In 1976, Johar launched his own banner, Dharma Productions. The first film produced by the company, Dostana, directed by Raj Khosla, was a box office success in 1980. The company produced a handful of other films in the 1980s and early 1990s, most notably Duniya (1984), Agneepath (1990), Gumrah (1993) and Duplicate (1998).

He was also an associate producer on the 1994 Hollywood film The Jungle Book.

The company found unprecedented success with the 1998 award-winning film Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, the directorial debut of his son Karan Johar. The film starring Shah Rukh Khan, Kajol, Rani Mukerji and Salman Khan was one of the biggest hits of the year both domestically and in the overseas market. The film was critically acclaimed as well, winning major awards at Indian award ceremonies. Karan's second directorial, Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham... in 2001 was also immensely successful.

Johar was also involved in the production and distribution company Dreamz Unlimited founded in 1999 by Shah Rukh Khan, Juhi Chawla and Aziz Mirza. He helped set up the company as well as handling the production process of their first film, Phir Bhi Dil Hai Hindustani (2000).

Kal Ho Naa Ho, was the last film he was involved in, which was a major critical and commercial success, becoming the top-grossing film domestically and in the overseas market that year.

Selected filmography

Producer

• Dostana (1980)
• Duniya (1984)
• Muqaddar Ka Faisla (1987)
• Agneepath (1990)
• Gumrah (1993)
• Duplicate (1998)
• Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998)
• Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham... (2001)
• Kal Ho Naa Ho (2003)

See also

• Cinema of India
• Lists of Indians by state

References

1. ^ "Remembering Yash Johar on his 11th death anniversary". India Today. New Delhi. 26 June 2015. Archived from the original on 19 August 2019. Retrieved 16 December 2020. The founder of Dharma Productions was born on September 6, 1929 in Amritsar, Punjab, British India.
2. Subhash K Jha (28 June 2004). "Good-bye, Yashji! A Personal Tribute". Sify. Archived from the original on 1 November 2014. Retrieved 16 December 2020.
3. Goyal, Divya (30 December 2017). "Karan Johar Got A Fact About Amitabh Bachchan Wrong And This Happened On Twitter". NDTV.com. Archived from the original on 12 August 2019. Retrieved 10 December 2020.
4. Johar, Karan; Saxena, Poonam (2017). An Unsuitable Boy. Gurgaon, Haryana, India: Penguin. p. 6. ISBN 978-0-670-08753-2.
5. Kanyal, Jyoti (27 September 2020). "Karan Johar on 50 years of YRF: Yash Chopra was not just a filmmaker but a bonafide institution". India Today. Retrieved 11 March 2021.
6. "Indian film stars you didn't know were related". The Indian Express. 23 April 2018. Retrieved 11 March 2021.
7. Ashraf, Syed Firdaus (27 June 2004). "Filmmaker Yash Johar dead". Rediff.com. Archived from the original on 12 December 2018. Retrieved 5 November 2012.
8. "Our Profile - Dharma Productions". Archived from the original on 6 June 2008. Retrieved 6 March 2022.
9. "Rudyard Kipling's Jungle Book (1994)". Archived from the original on 26 October 2018.
10. "Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham... - Movie - Box Office India". www.boxofficeindia.com. Archived from the original on 4 August 2024. Retrieved 4 August 2024.
11. "Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham | Rotten Tomatoes". www.rottentomatoes.com. Archived from the original on 25 September 2024. Retrieved 4 August 2024.
12. "Rediff On The NeT, Movies: Shah Rukh Khan speaks". IRediff.com. 13 January 2000. Archived from the original on 8 June 2015. Retrieved 5 November 2012.
13. "Kal Ho Naa Ho". Box Office Mojo. Archived from the original on 4 August 2024. Retrieved 4 August 2024.
14. Pais, Arthur J. "KHNH makes waves in UK too!". Rediff. Archived from the original on 4 August 2024. Retrieved 4 August 2024.

External links

• Yash Johar at IMDb
• Dharma Productions, Yash Johar's production company

• 1929 births
• 2004 deaths
• Businesspeople from Amritsar
• 20th-century Indian businesspeople
• Hindi film producers
• Film producers from Mumbai
• Producers who won the Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment National Film Award
• Punjabi Hindus
• Arya Samajis