http://www.behindwoods.com/yash-johar.htm
Yash Johar Passes Away - An Era Comes to an End!
Mumbai, June 27 (IANS): An era in the Indian film industry has come to an end with the passing away of producer Yash Johar who will be remembered most forbringing exotic and alluring foreign locales to Indian audiences through his lavish blockbusters.
Johar, who passed away Saturday in Mumbai, began his career as a photographer in 1952.
He picked up the finer aspects of film production from the cinema gurus like S. Mukherjee, Dev Anand and Sunil Dutt while working as a production assistant. It was during this period that Yash Johar came into "Ajanta Arts".
Johar worked for productions of internationally acclaimed Fritz Lang and Arthur Ranks.
He became associated with movies like "Mujhe Jeene Do" and "Yeh Raaste Hai Pyaar Ke".
Johar was asked by Dev Anand to handle the entire production of his cinematic landmark film "Guide".
Dev Anand's entrusted Yash Johar with "Jewel Thief", "Prem Pujari" and "Hare Rama Hare Krishna".
Johar handled the production of Mumbai-based Filmalaya's "Love in Simla", I .S. Johar's "Johar Mehmood in Goa" and Nasir Hussain's "Jab Pyar Kissi Se Hota Hai".
He launched his own banner "Dharma Productions Pvt. Ltd" in 1976 starting with his old friend Raj Khosla in "Dostana". Subsequently, in 1995 "Dharma Production" became a proprietorship concern.
He subsequently produced films like "Agneepath" with Amitabh Bachchan and "Gumrah" with Sanjay Dutt and Sridevi.
Johar will be best remembered as the first producer to choose picturesque backdrops in Switzerland and Britain for his films. He was honoured by the Swiss government for his contribution to promoting tourism from India to
that country.
It was actor Shah Rukh Khan, who turned out to be his lucky hero in hits like "Kuch Kuch Hota Hai" an internationally acclaimed movie.
"Kuch Kuch Hota Hai" won Johar the prestigious National Award from the President of India in 1999 for the best popular film providing wholesome entertainment.
The success of "Kuch Kuch Hota Hai" was followed by "Kabhie Khushi Kabhie Gam" and "Kal Ho Na Ho", both were box office hits.
Johar was associate producer (India) for "Jungle Book" a venture by Walt Disney, which was shot extensively in India in 1994.
His Dharma Productions worked as a production service company for Walt Disney in "The Last Dance" (1995) and "Armageddon" (1998) following the success of the first venture.
Johar besides being a film producer was associated with trade organisations like Film Producers Guild of India, The Association of Motion Pictures and TV Programme Producers, Film Industry Welfare Trust and United Producers
Forum.
Johar was awarded the award for lifetime achievements at the Zee Cine Award function last month.