Yash Chopra was once left totally broken when his film starring a superstar flopped badly, ‘I couldn’t….’

In an interview, the ace director revealed how deeply disheartened he was by one of his film's commercial failure.

Yash Chopra was a legendary filmmaker who made some of the biggest hits in the cinema over the decades, with unforgettable films like Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, Darr, Deewaar and Jab Tak Hai Jaan. Known for his ability to tell compelling, emotional stories, he became one of the most renowned names in the industry. However, even someone as successful as him faced disappointment when one of his films, starring a massive star, didn’t do well at the box office. Although it gained a cult following later, its initial failure left him heartbroken. The film was Lamhe, starring Sridevi.

Yash Chopra and Sridevi’s collaboration

The first time the director and the actor worked together was for Chandni, in 1989. From the stellar cast to its brilliant background score, the film was declared a blockbuster hit for all the right reasons. The movie bagged several accolades and made Yash Chopra and Sridevi a hit duo.

The two came together for a second collaboration with Lamhe, in 1991. Unfortunately, Lamhe failed to do well at the box office. While some blamed the unconventional storyline of the movie, others believed that the movie didn’t do well because it clashed with Ajay Devgn’s Phool Aur Kaante. Nevertheless, the movie didn’t become a commercial hit.

Yash Chopra said he was disheartened by the failure of Lamhe

In 2007, in an interview with Hindustan Times, the director revealed how deeply disheartened he was by the film’s commercial failure. He even mentioned another of his movies, Dharmputra, which had also underperformed financially, but the impact of Lamhe’s failure was much greater for him. He confessed that he was so shaken by the outcome that he struggled to work for months.

He said, “I was terribly disheartened (by the failure of Dharmputra), but then I was as disheartened by the failure of Lamhe also, which was romantic. I couldn’t work for months. Perhaps my failures were ahead of their time. Otherwise, how can you explain the fact that the highest sales of my DVDs have been of Dharmputra, Silsila, and Lamhe?”

Yash Chopra died of dengue fever during Jab Tak Hai Jaan‘s production in 2012.