Yash Chopra was on Saturday conferred with the Officier de la Legion d'Honneur, the highest French distinction, for his contribution to Indian cinema.
NEW DELHI: Noted Bollywood director-producer Yash Chopra was on Saturday conferred with the Officier de la Legion d'Honneur, the highest French distinction, for his contribution to Indian cinema.
The 'King of Romance', whose films have also been released in French cinema halls and were highly popular among the audience there, was decorated with the honour by the French Ambassador in India, Jerome Bonnafont at a glittering ceremony here.
The award, instituted by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1802, was bestowed on Chopra for his exemplary work for Indian cinema during a more than 50 year long career.
With this honour, Yash Chopra has joined the likes of late Satyajit Ray, Lata Mangeshkar and Amitabh Bachchan among other Indian film personalities honoured by the French government with the Officer of the National Order of the Legion of Honour.
"Yash Chopra has shaped today's Indian cinema industry and he is the embodiment of Indian Cinema and Bollywood in particular, and has always been helpful in building bridges between the Indian and French entertainment industry," Bonnafont said while conferring the award.
The Ambassador said the French President Nicholas Sarkozy had decided give away this honour to Chopra who has excelled in various field of film making and has emerged as a "global artist."
"I am overwhelmed with this honour. It has been a long journey for me with the film industry. And, whatever I am today is because of my brother, B R Chopra who guided me in thick and thin of my career," Yash Chopra, who was accompanied by wife Pamela.
Chopra, known for making romantic movies has delivered hits like Deewar, Kabhi Kabhi, Darr, Chandni and Silsila. He has so far been associated with around 40 films.
The director-producer, also the founder of major production house Yash Raj Films, has shot several movies and song sequences in various parts of France, especially in Paris, with most recent being those of 'Jhoom Barabar Jhoom.'
His film Veer Zaara, which depicted a cross border love story between India and Pakistan, got huge applause from the French audience during its preview in Paris in 2006.
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