Vidhu Vinod Chopra is one of the eminent filmmakers of Indian cinema. He has won many accolades in his more than three-decade-long career. His first short film, Murder at Monkey Hill, won him the National Award for Best Student Film. It was followed by a documentary called An Encounter with Faces, which was nominated for the Academy Awards.
Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s commercial success began with films like Parinda, 1942: A Love Story, Kareeb, Mission Kashmir, Munna Bhai MBBS, Parineeta, 3 Idiots, 12th Fail and many more. His 2020 film, Shikara, was dedicated to his mother, who left Kashmir after the migration of Kashmiri Pandits due to the Kashmir conflict in 1990, as the movie is based on the same theme.
Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s talent knows no limits, as the filmmaker has given some noteworthy subjects to Indian cinema. However, not many people know that Vidhu is a man who never believed in mincing his words and has always called a spade a spade. Do you know Vidhu once fought with the then-Information and Broadcasting Minister LK Advani for Rs. 4000?
Yes, you read that right! The incident happened when Vidhu went to Delhi to collect his first National Award. In an interaction with The Lallantop, Vidhu recalled his fight and shared that while it was his first National Award, he was only interested in the cash prize that came with it. But when Vidhu received the award along with the envelope carrying the cash from the-then President of India, Neelam Sanjiva Reddy, he noticed it was very thin.
As he opened the envelope on the stage, he saw a postal order with ‘Encashable after seven years’ written on it. He promptly asked Mr Advani about the same, to which he replied that after seven years, he would get double the amount. But he wasn’t satisfied with the minister’s response and quipped at him again.
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Amid the fiasco on the stage, the President of India, Neelam Sanjiva Reddy, asked Vidhu whether there was any issue, and the filmmaker revealed the problem. But when Mr Advani interrupted the conversation, Vidhu, who was really upset, told the minister to keep the postal order for himself and give him the money instead. At this moment, Mr Advani asked him to come to the Shastri Bhawan the next day.
When Vidhu reached the Shastri Bhawan the following day, Mr Advani was present there. Still, the politician was not very pleased with Vidhu’s behaviour and demanded to speak to his father. Recalling what Mr Advani told him, Vidhu shard:
“I want to ask him, is this the future of India? A National Award winner is fighting for Rs 4,000 in front of the President and on national television. Call your father.”
Hearing Mr Advani’s statement, Vidhu lost his temper and narrated his ordeal to Mr Advani. He told the minister that he borrowed money from one of his friends to collect the National Award. Elaborating on the heated exchange of words, Vidhu recalled asking Mr Advani:
“Have you had breakfast? Because I haven’t. I have come here by borrowing Rs 1,200 from someone. I bought a new shirt for the award ceremony and travelled in an AC chair car. What will I tell the person from whom I borrowed the money? You keep your ‘bhashan’ aside and give me my Rs 4,000, else I am going to the President.”
Mr Advani not only signed the order to give Vidhu cash but also fed him breakfast. It was Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s first salary.
Also Read: Vidhu Vinod Chopra's Ugly Fight With Nana Patekar During The Shoot Of Parinda, 'I Tore His Kurta...'
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