And you might too!

Movies have been an integral part of every Indian’s life. As we incessantly toil our way to earning a living, movies are what we come back to for some time off. Yash Raj Films, (YRF)  is one of the leading studios that made films to which we danced, laughed, and cried our hearts out. The Romantics, through YRF, tells the story of mainstream cinema from the beginning of Yash Chopra’s journey. From initially doubting it to be a PR experiment to getting fully invested from episode two, I have some interesting thoughts on Netflix’s The Romantics. Let me break it down for you:

1.Making documentaries more popular and comprehensive

Most documentaries have always had an intellectual tone to them, maybe because they discussed serious subjects. Documentaries weren’t that popular in India; either because we did not have enough filmmakers interested in making them, or maybe because the subject in the discussion was not something that the majority of our audience could relate to. Making a documentary based on Hindi cinema with familiar faces on screen and decoding the history of some of their favorite films is something an average movie lover can not ignore. And in this way, The Romantics on Netflix makes documentaries more comprehensive, entertaining, and informative to the larger Indian audience.

Also Read: Netflix Documentaries worth your time!

2. Humanize the stars

Knowingly or unknowingly we have placed the actors and filmmakers on this pedestal, assuming how smooth and easy it is for them to do the things they do. But by shedding light on their artistic struggles, The Romantics humanize these stars and big names. Without downplaying the privilege factor, it shows how both Yash Chopra and his son Aditya Chopra have been driven by their passion and love for cinema. Both Aditya Chopra and his father Yash Chopra were devasted when their films, in which they were so invested and obsessed, does not work well. Yes, they did not have to juggle between two jobs to make ends meet while also working on their passion project, but their hardships and struggles are also valid in their own way.

3. Giving us a glimpse of how macro-economic factors have affected the movie narratives

Aditya Chopra as a filmmaker has always been on the lookout for changing macro-economic scenarios in the country. He made sure that these changing scenarios are highlighted in the film too so that people can relate to the story and connect with it. The Romantics gives more clarity on the changing trends of cinema over the decades by showing us exactly how the country transitioned over the years and how the way people watched movies changed. Being from today’s generation, this was very insightful for me to understand the history of changing narratives in commercial Hindi films.

4. Aditya Chopra

Finally, a proper face to the name we have seen on the screens so many times! The guy who directed one of the biggest films ever at just 23 and has always been considered socially awkward finally comes under the spotlight to share his side of the story. Well, he owed this much to his father.

Also Read: Desperately Seeking Shah Rukh- What the actor means to Indian women

Like many, even I used to wonder why we never saw enough of Aditya Chopra as a director. And from the second episode onwards we get our answers. I really loved how he always puts the focus on the audience and strives to add relatability to his films for them. He is aware of his rich upbringing and pushes himself in the shoes of the commoners, who constitute the majority of the audience, to understand what they would like to watch. The success of the YRF studio can be credited to this fact.

His entire conversations and perspectives come from a place of clear understanding and experience of the business and the industry. He speaks of films from an entertainment perspective rather than an artistic perspective.

Even when he speaks about nepotism, he uses his own brother’s failure as an actor as an example to show that it is in the hands of the audience. While in the larger context, this is true, when it comes to accessibility of opportunity, the debate of nepotism will go a long way, which is not covered here. And honestly, it doesn’t have to be covered, considering this is a show made heavily from the point of view of the YRF family.

Image Courtesy: YouTube