Several Bollywood bigwigs, including superstars such as Dilip Kumar, Amitabh Bachchan and Shahrukh Khan turned up to pay their last respects to veteran filmmaker Yash Chopra, known as the country's king of celluloid romance.   Chopra died at Mumbai's Lilavati Hospital. He was 80 years old.  

According to a Yash Raj Films spokesperson, the director died in the evening after a week long hospitalisation in which he received treatment for suspected dengue fever.  

Later his body was taken from the hospital to the premises of the Yash Raj Studios, which was set up by Yash Chopra. This venue became one of the biggest film production houses in Bollywood.  

"We have stayed together with each other. I was shocked by the news,' said veteran Hindi movies director Ramesh Sippy.   Movie director Madhur Bhandarkar said that his death has come as a shock.  

He was also astonished at the outbreak of dengue that had caused the demise of Yash Chopra.  

"A few days ago news had come in that he was recovering and he would be back to work. Everyone was waiting for his film to release. It has been quite shocking for all of us," said Madhur Bhandarkar.  

Born in 1932 at Lahore, now in Pakistan, Yash Chopra was favoured by leading Indian actors with his movies seen as a sure-fire way to become a hit with audiences.  

The filmmaker proved his mettle with intensely emotional and tragic movies, many of which went on to become box-office blockbusters.   His career spanned five decades, and at an event marking his 80th birthday last month, Chopra narrated how he came to Mumbai with 200 rupees in his pocket, hoping to make it as a film director.

Also read our September 2012 interview with Mr Chopra on his 80th birthday.