Veteran filmmaker Vidhu Vinod Chopra, known for his perfectionism and uncompromising style, has often shared candid stories about his journey in cinema. While he has delivered acclaimed films such as Parinda, 1942: A Love Story, Munna Bhai MBBS, and 3 Idiots, one of his lesser successful but memorable ventures remains Eklavya: The Royal Guard (2007). The film not only created buzz for its selection as India’s official entry to the Academy Awards but also left behind an interesting anecdote involving Amitabh Bachchan and Chopra’s mother.
During the shoot of Eklavya, Jaya Bachchan had joked that her husband wouldn’t be able to tolerate Chopra for more than a week. True to her words, both men ended up arguing within days, but Big B stayed on and completed the project with grace. Deeply humbled, Chopra decided to gift him a Rolls-Royce worth Rs 4.5 crore as a gesture of respect.
However, what followed became legendary. In a recent interview, Vidhu Vinod recalled taking his mother along to present the car. She even handed over the keys to Bachchan herself. But on their way back in Chopra’s modest blue Maruti van, she questioned him sharply: “Tu Lamboo nu gaadi dedi? Tu khud kyun nahi leta?” When Chopra revealed the car’s actual cost, she was so stunned that she slapped him, calling him “bewakoof.”
The director fondly remembers that slap as a reminder of his mother’s grounded wisdom. “What is money if it can’t give you joy?” he reflected.
The story of the Rolls-Royce gift and Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s mother’s no-nonsense reaction continues to amuse fans and adds a personal, human touch to the celebrated filmmaker’s legacy, even though Eklavya didn’t succeed at the box office.