| Bio/Wiki | |
|---|---|
| Birthname | Pamela Singh [1]The Times of India Note: She changed her name to Pamela Chopra after marriage. |
| Nickname(s) | Pam [2]The Economic Times |
| Profession(s) | Playback Singer, Film Writer, Film Producer |
| Physical Stats & More | |
| Height (approx.) | in centimeters– 160 cm in meters– 1.60 m in feet & inches– 5’ 3” |
| Eye Colour | Black |
| Hair Colour | Black |
| Career | |
| Debut | As a Producer Film: Aaina (1993)  As a Scriptwriter– Kabhi Kabhie (1976)  |
| Personal Life | |
| Date of Birth | 1948 |
| Date of Death | 20 April 2023 |
| Place of Death | Lilavati Hospital And Research Centre in Mumbai |
| Age (at the time of death) | 74 Years |
| Death Cause | Pneumonia [3]Hindustan Times |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Relationships & More | |
| Marital Status (at the time of death) | Widow |
| Marriage Date | Year, 1970 |
| Family | |
| Husband/Spouse | Yash Chopra (deceased) (film director and producer, founder of production company Yash Raj Films (YRF)) |
| Children | Son (s)– Aditya Chopra (film director, producer, and writer, chairperson of YRF), Uday Chopra (actor) Daughter– None |
| Parents | Father– Mohinder Singh (officer in the Indian Navy) Mother– Name Not Known |
| Siblings | She had two younger brothers. |
| Other(s) | First cousin– Simi Garewal (actress a talk show host) Daughter-in-law– Rani Mukerji (actress)  Nephew– Karan Johar (filmmaker)  Note: Simi Garewal’s mother, Darshi, and Pamela’s father, Mohinder Singh, were siblings. Karan Johar’s mother, Hiroo Johar, is Pamela’s sister-in-law. |
| Favourites | |
| Actor | Raj Kapoor |
| Film | Sangam (1964) |
Yash Chopra and Pamela Chopra
Some Lesser Known Facts About Pamela Chopra
- Pamela Chopra was an Indian playback singer, film writer, and producer. She was the wife of celebrated Bollywood film director Yash Chopra.
- While talking about her family in an interview, she said,
I have two brothers. I am the oldest. My parents come from large families, so I grew up with a lot of cousins.”
- Her father was an officer in the Indian Navy due to which she spent her childhood attending different army schools in several remote locations all over India where her father would get posted.
- Since childhood, she was passionate about dance and music. She learnt Bharatnatyam when she was young. In an interview, Simi Garewal recalled her childhood with Pamela and said,
She loved to sing Punjabi songs and would teach me how to sing with the right accent. Whatever Punjabi songs I know, I owe it to her. Pam had also learnt bharatnatyam and I recall as youngsters during holiday time we would be dancing till 2 am. She would keep on saying tha thei thei thath till I would get the steps right.”
- Pamela worked at British Airways before her marriage.
A picture of Pamela Chopra when she was young
- Pamela first saw Yash Chopra during a cricket match in Delhi and thought that he was eying her cousin sisters. The two did not meet or spoke to each other there. Talking about the same in an interview, she said,
Oh, yes. I first saw him at this star cricket show in Delhi. Yash was seated just a few rows in front of us. My cousins pointed him out to me. Yash turned around and saw us. My cousins were very pretty and you know, he had an eye for pretty girls, so he kept turning around throughout the match. But we did not meet or talk to each other.”
Pamela formally met Yash Chopra at a wedding in Mumbai, where Simi Garewal introduced her to him. While talking about the same in an interview, Pamela said,
I think the first time I spoke to him was at Yashji’s niece’s wedding sangeet. I was in Mumbai for my holidays and staying at Simi’s home. They were invited and took me along. They said I would be a great asset as I sing Punjabi songs. I met him very briefly at first. He was too busy trying to convince Hema Malini to do a film. He and Hema were on the balcony the whole time. He came in only when the singing started. I was singing. He came up to me and complimented me on my singing. That was it.”
However, Pamela and Yash’s marriage was arranged by their parents via a common friend, the mother of filmmaker Romesh Sharma. Pamela had caught the eye of Romesh’s mother at a wedding in Delhi after which she contacted BR Chopra’s wife and suggested that Pamela would be an ideal bride for BR’s younger brother Yash.
- After marriage, Pamela engaged herself in raising her two sons and running the household, while Yash had his hands full with films. In an interview, while talking about the initial years of her marriage, Pamela said,
Yes, I was at home taking care of my two children, Aditya and Uday. It was not difficult at all. I knew he would not be hands on with the kids because he was in his own world. My husband didn’t even know what class they were in, never went to a parent-teacher meeting. But I never complained.”
Childhood picture of Aditya Chopra and Uday Chopra with their parents, Pamela Chopra and Yash Chopra
- Soon the kids grew up and she realised that she must venture into the entertainment industry to come closer to her husband. Once, in an interview, she said,
Yes, but I realised early in my married life that if I want any part of Yash, I would have to join him in his work otherwise I would never get to see him. He was the kind of guy, who, in the middle of the night, would get up and start scribbling something and then go back to sleep.”
- Consequently, Yash realised Pamela’s passion for music and started taking her suggestions in the music sittings of his films. Slowly, she became a part of his fraternity.
Pamela Chopra (sitting third from left) with Yash Raj and his film fraternity
- She dabbled in several fields connected to films working for the family’s production banner Yash Raj Films (YRF).
- She lent her voice to several film songs, all of them for her husband’s films, including the songs Surkh Jode Ki Yeh Jagmagahat (Saada Chidiya Da Chamba Ve) from Kabhi Kabhie (1976), Main Sasural Nahi Jaungi from Chandni (1989), Ghar Aaja Pardesi from Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (1995), and The Medley from Mujhse Dosti Karoge! (2002).
- She worked as a dress designer for the films Silsila (1981) and Sawaal (1982).
- She was the associate producer for the films Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (1995), Mohabbatein (2000), Mujhse Dosti Karoge! (2002), Mere Yaar Ki Shaadi Hai (2002), and Veer-Zaara (2004).
- She worked as a co-producer and screenwriter for the film Dil To Pagal Hai (1997).
- She often drank alcoholic beverages with her husband. Once, in an interview, Sharmila Tagore said,
Yash and Pam were so much in love. I remember once I was travelling back from London, they were in seats in front of me. As you know, Yash never drank, but they were sharing glasses of champagne, one each. It was such a sweet moment, toasting one another, the companionship, the mutual appreciation.”
