Filmmaker Baldev Raj Chopra was yesterday given a tearful farewell by Bollywood, as celebs turned out in large numbers at his funeral yesterday. The grand old man was 93 and had a long career spanning decades. He is survived by his brother Yash Chopra, son Ravi Chopra and two daughters.

More than a thousand people turned up from the industry to pay their last respects to him. Leading the mourners was thespian Dilip Kumar, who had worked with him in Naya Daur, accompanied by his wife Saira Banu, there was Hema Malini, Salim Khan, Danny Denzongpa, Boney Kapoor, Rishi Kapoor, Rani Mukherjee, Harry Baweja, Subhash Ghai, David Dhawan, Madhur Bhandarkar, Priyanka Chopra, Kajol and Tanisha among others. Amitabh Bachchan, who has also been closely associated with BR Films, could not make it as he is in Udaipur. Neither of the three Khans, Shah Rukh, Salman or Aamir could make as they too are put of town. He will be best remembered for his revolutionary films, which questioned the social and moral order of the day, like Gumraah, Naya Daur, Kanoon, Humraaz, Dhund, and the more recent, Insaaf Ka Tarazu and Nikaah among others. He was known to be very partial to singer Mahendra Kapoor. From Gumraah onwards, he always used the late singer's voice in all of his films, including his mega TV serial Mahabharat. His brother, Yash, too started direction under the BR banner before he went on to make his own brand of movies under the Yash Raj Films banner. Today, BR's son, Ravi, endeavors to carry the legacy forward.