Documentaries centred on filmmakers to watch after The Romantics

Schenelle Dsouza 

If Shah Rukh Khan is the King of Romance, then Yash Chopra is certainly the father of Bollywood romance! Cheesy as this may sound, there’s hardly a better way to describe Yash Chopra’s legacy in the Hindi film industry. Netflix’s latest documentary, The Romantics, takes a look at his lasting legacy and the lives that he touched.

A project helmed by Smriti Mundhra of Never Have I Ever and Indian Matchmaking fame, The Romantics is a cheesy, heartfelt ode to the iconic filmmaker and creator of the banner Yash Raj Films, who to this day is regarded as one of the most influential figures in Bollywood history.

Produced as a four-part docu-series, The Romantics invites popular faces from the industry, spanning three generations. These include Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan, Karan Johar, Kajol, Rani Mukerji, Madhuri Dixit, Hrithik Roshan, Ranbir Kapoor and Ranveer Singh among other prominent faces. And in a very pleasant surprise, the reclusive Aditya Chopra too makes an appearance on camera for the very first time. For the unaware, Aditya Chopra has always managed to stay out of the spotlight, be it award shows or on-camera interviews, the director/producer prefers to be on the other side of the camera.

The Romantics is deeply rooted in nostalgia featuring archival footage of celebrities regaling the essence of a Yash Chopra film and discussing his contribution to transforming Indian cinema from pitted action movies to ones filled with heartfelt emotion, love and romance. The series has many teachable moments, from the true art of filmmaking to the incomparable talent back in the day, and of course plenty of nostalgic movie moments. Amid the many hearty moments, the series also manages to address the topic of “nepotism” in the industry, with the help of Aditya Chopra who considers his younger brother an example of the failure of nepotism in Bollywood, insinuating that at the end of the day, it is the audience that chooses to accept or reject said actors.

For those who haven’t already watched it, The Romantics is a pleasant trip to the fairytale era of the ’90s, which was defined by innocent romance and the occasional dramatic plots. But if you’ve already binged watched the series, and are in the mood for something similar, then check out these documentaries based on other famous filmmakers.

American Movie

Regarded as a cult-favourite documentary, American Movie directed by Chris Smith follows the story of American filmmaker Mark Borchardt, who goes from an unemployed electrician from Milwaukee to the man we know today. Borchardt decides to pursue his passion for filmmaking by finishing his low-budget horror film. Plagued by a lack of money, unreliable help and several personal problems, Borchardt along with his bumbling but loyal friend Mike Schank, decides to move forward anyway.

Watch on Prime Video 

De Palma

Everyone knows filmmaker Brian De Palma for his exceptional body of work with movies like Sisters, Obsession, Carrie, Dressed to Kill, Blow Out, Scarface, The Untouchables, Carlito’s Way and of course Mission: Impossible. De Palma’s skillset also involves a number of remarkable documentaries. However, this particular documentary turns the camera onto De Palma himself. Throughout the movie, Del Palma gives the audience an insight into the movements of American cinema over the past 50 years. The documentary is co-directed by acclaimed filmmaker Noah Baumbach whose adoration for the director is portrayed beautifully throughout the documentary.

Watch online on HBO Max and Apple TV

Stanley Kubrick: A Life in Pictures

A concept similar to The Romantics, Stanley Kubrick: A Life in Pictures is a documentary film featuring commentaries shared by Hollywood stars like Jack Nicholson, Woody Allen and Sydney Pollack who share anecdotes of the influence of Kubrick classics like Dr Strangelove and the beloved 2001: A Space Odyssey and how he absorbed visual clues from the disposable culture such as television commercials. In addition to interviews, the documentary also features clips from Kuberick’s films along with footage of him directing. Kuberick’s use of high-contrast lighting, extreme close-ups, tilted camera angles, and slow tracking shots were what made his work easily recognisable and most appreciated. In addition to the above-mentioned films, some of Kuberick’s most notable directions included A Clockwork Orange, Spartacus, and The Shining. 

Watch online on YouTube 

They’ll Love Me When I’m Dead

A Netflix documentary, They’ll Love Me When I’m Dead directed by Morgan Neville explores Orson Welles’ remarkable and controversial life in depth. The film covers his early days as a radio star to Hollywood filmmaker and finally his political activism. The film also addresses the many myths surrounding Welles including him being an “enfant terrible” who didn’t care about anything other than himself. This film explores his life in-depth with interviews with friends, co-workers, and family members, and even displays some archival footage of him as an actor leaving behind quite an emotional impression on the audiences.

Watch online on Netflix 

Must-watch: Top 6 documentaries that take you inside the world of luxury fashion

Tinder Swindler to Ted Bundy: Popular true crime series on OTTs