Noted Bollywood director-producer Yash Chopra was conferred with the French honour Officier de la Legion d’Honneur, during a ceremony hosted by Jerome Bonnafont, Ambassador of France to India, on Saturday.

Instituted by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1802, it is the highest distinction that can be conferred by the French Republic on a French citizen or a foreigner.

It 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.

“It is a memorable day in my life. I am overwhelmed by this honour. It is also an honour for our film industry” said the director of super hits such as Waqt , Deewar , Dil To Paagal Hai and Veer Zaara .

After receiving the award, Mr. Chopra said:”. 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 was accompanied by wife Pamela and sons but his brother B.R. Chopra
was not present due to ill health.