Bollywood 50 Greatest Directors

1. Hrishikesh Mukherjee

Director | Anand

By no means is he any glamorous director, yet Hrishikesh Mukherjee is one of the most popular and beloved filmmakers in Indian cinema. His magic lay not in the glamor or largeness so often associated with cinema, but in its simplicity and warmth.

He began his career in Bombay, 1951, as an editor and...

2. Raj Kapoor

Actor | Mera Naam Joker

Raj Kapoor was the son of well-known Indian actor Prithviraj Kapoor, who acted both in film and on stage. After apprenticing in the Bollywood production studios of the 1940's, at 24 years of age Raj Kapoor produced, directed and acted in Aag (1948), with his new company, RK Films. His next ...

3. Bimal Roy

Director | Bandini

Bimal Roy (July 12, 1909 - January 8, 1966) was an Indian film director. He is particularly noted for his realistic and socialistic films such as Do Bigha Zamin (1953), Bandini (1963), Biraj Bahu (1954), Madhumati (1958) which he employed to portray realism. He won a number of awards throughout his...

4. Mehboob Khan

Director | Mother India

Mehboob Khan was born on September 9, 1907 in Bilimora, Baroda, Bombay Presidency, British India. He was a director and producer, known for Mother India (1957), Son of India (1962) and The Savage Princess (1952). He was married to Sardar Akhtar. He died on May 28, 1964 in Bombay, Maharashtra, India.

5. Shyam Benegal

Director | Ankur

Shyam Benegal was born on December 14, 1934 in Tirumalagiri, Hyderabad State, British India. He is a director and producer, known for Ankur: The Seedling (1974), Bhumika (1977) and Trikal (Past, Present, Future) (1985). He is married to Nira Benegal.

6. Guru Dutt

Actor | Pyaasa

Considered to be a man ahead of his time, Guru Dutt was one of the greatest icons of commercial Indian cinema. Although he made less than ten films, they are believed to be the best to come from Bollywood's Golden Age, known both for their ability to reach out to the common man and for their ...

7. Gulzar

Music_department | Raazi

Gulzar is a writer, a lyricist, a director and, at heart, a poet. His films, sensitive, lyrical, and yet successful, were a welcome relief from the violent films that filled the 1970s and 1980s.

Born Sampooran Singh Kalra in Deena, in the Jhelum District in what is now Pakistan, he came to Delhi ...

8. K. Asif

Director | Mughal-E-Azam

Asif was born Asif Karim in Etawah, Uttar Pradesh to Parents Dr. Fazal Karim and Bibi Ghulam Fatima. He was the youngest of his siblings with Sikander Begum, wife of versatile Actor/Director/Producer Nazir Ahmed Khan being the Eldest and Masood Karim, the first Muslim President of Sindh Club second...

9. Sanjay Leela Bhansali

Producer | Bajirao Mastani

Sanjay Leela Bhansali is among the most celebrated Film Makers of the Bollywood. Having worked with the biggest stars of Indian Film Industry, Bhansali is the most sought-for director of the Bollywood. He started his career as an assistant director to Vidhu Vinod Chopra. If one has to name his '...

10. Rajkumar Hirani

Writer | PK

Rajkumar Hirani is an Indian film director and editor. Hirani has directed five Hindi films, including Munna Bhai M.B.B.S., Lage Raho Munnabhai, 3 Idiots, PK and Sanju, and all of which have been commercial and critical successes. Most of which have won several awards, including the national awards...

11. Anurag Kashyap

Producer | Gangs of Wasseypur

Anurag Singh Kashyap (born 10 September 1972) is an Indian film director, producer and screenwriter. Kashyap made his directorial debut with as yet unreleased Paanch, with Kay Kay Menon as the lead. As a filmmaker, he is known for Black Friday (2004), a controversial and award-winning Hindi film ...

12. Yash Chopra

Producer | Veer-Zaara

Labeled the eternal romantic and with one of the best musical senses in the business, Yash Chopra is arguably India's most successful director of romantic films. Although he made action-oriented films like the ever-popular Deewaar (1975), it is in tackling love and its various aspects that he has ...

13. Govind Nihalani

Cinematographer | Droh Kaal

Govind Nihalani was born on August 19, 1940 in Karachi, Sindh, British India. He is a cinematographer and director, known for Droh Kaal (1994), Aakrosh (1980) and Dev (2004).

14. Shantaram Rajaram Vankudre

Director | Do Ankhen Barah Haath

Rajaram has been married twice. His second marriage was to actress Jayashree. Jayashree passed away on the 19th of October, 2004 in Bombay, at the age of 84. Jayashree and Rajaram are survived by their son, Kiran Shantaram, former Sheriff of Bombay, and daughter, Rajashree, well-known former ...

15. B.R. Chopra

Producer | Kanoon

One of India's most respected film personalities, Baldev Raj Chopra (better known as B.R. Chopra) has been an architect of what is now known as the golden era of the Bollywood industry. Having converted offbeat stories into immortal classics like Waqt (1965) and Naya Daur (1957), he commands high ...

16. Vijay Anand

Writer | Guide

Vijay Anand was a celebrated filmmaker, writer, editor, and actor in Hindi cinema. Known as "Goldie," the younger brother of filmmaker Chetan Anand and matinée idol Dev Anand, Vijay Anand was born in Gurdaspur, Punjab, India on January 22, 1934 to a father, who was a lawyer. He lost his mother when...

17. Mahesh Bhatt

Producer | Raaz

Mahesh Bhatt was born on September 20, 1948 in Bombay, State of Bombay, India. He is a producer and director, known for Raaz (2002), Zakhm (1998) and Saaransh (1984). He has been married to Soni Razdan since 1986. They have two children. He was previously married to Lorraine Bright "Kiran Bhatt".

18. Vishal Bhardwaj

Composer | Haider

Vishal Bhardwaj is an Indian film director, writer, composer, singer and producer. He has directed ten feature films, produced five and composed music for more than forty. His directorial work includes Makdee, The Blue Umbrella, Kaminey, 7 Khoon Maaf, Matru Ki Bijli Ka Mandola, Rangoon, Pataakha as...

19. Prakash Mehra

Director | Muqaddar Ka Sikandar

Prakash Mehra, Born on 13th July 1939 in Bijnor, Uttar Pradesh was a legendary film maker of Indian Cinema, also known as the Godfather of Amitabh Bachchan, a public and media given title, at which he often frowned upon, always clarifying that he was nobody's Godfather, fate introduced talent to ...

20. Mukul Anand

Director | Khuda Gawah

Mukul Anand was born on October 11, 1951 in Bombay, State of Bombay, India. He was a director and writer, known for Khuda Gawah (1992), Agneepath (1990) and Sultanat (1986). He died on September 7, 1997 in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India.

21. Subhash Ghai

Writer | Pardes

Ram Lakhan (1989), Khalnayak (1993), Hero (1983), Karz (1980), these are some grand films made by a grandiose director. Since 1976, Subhash has been directing films. But recently where has the fanfare and the fire has gone from Mukta arts main director? Subhash started in 1976 with the film ...

22. Mani Ratnam

Writer | Dil Se..

The man who revolutionized Tamil-language cinema, Mani Ratnam is the biggest director in south India and one of the most respected directors in all of India. Each of his films contain its own unique style, with beautifully photographed songs and unique back-lighting. However, his films contain ...

23. Ramesh Sippy

Director | Sholay

Ramesh Sippy was born on January 23, 1947 in Karachi, Sind Province, British India. He is a director and producer, known for Sholay (1975), Saagar (1985) and Shaan (1980). He is married to Kiran Juneja.

24. Kamal Amrohi

Writer | Pakeezah

Kamal Amrohi was born on January 17, 1918 in Amroha, United Provinces of Agra and Oudh, British India. He was a writer and director, known for Pakeezah (1972), Mahal (1949) and Daaera (1953). He was married to Meena Kumari. He died on February 11, 1993 in Bombay, Maharashtra, India.

25. Sudhir Mishra

Director | Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi

Sudhir Mishra was born on January 22, 1959 in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India. He is a director and writer, known for Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi (2003), Calcutta Mail (2003) and Dharavi (1992).

26. Manmohan Desai

Director | Naseeb

Manmohan Desai was born on February 26, 1937 in Bombay, Bombay Presidency, British India. He was a director and producer, known for Naseeb (1981), Kismat (1969) and Mard (1985). He died on March 1, 1994 in Bombay, Maharashtra, India.

27. Shekhar Kapur

Director | Elizabeth

Shekhar Kapur was born on December 6, 1945 in Lahore, Punjab, British India [now Pakistan]. He is a director and actor, known for Elizabeth (1998), Bandit Queen (1994) and The Four Feathers (2002). He was previously married to Suchitra Krishnamoorthi.

28. Vijay Bhatt

Director | Himalay Ki Godmein

Vijay Bhatt was born on May 12, 1907 in Palitana, Bombay Presidency, British India. He was a director and producer, known for Himalay Ki Godmein (1965), Baiju Bawra (1952) and Goonj Uthi Shehnai (1959). He died on October 17, 1993 in Bombay, Maharashtra, India.

29. Chetan Anand

Director | Kudrat

Chetan Anand was born on January 3, 1921 in Lahore, Punjab, British India. He was a director and writer, known for Kudrat (1981), Haqeeqat (1964) and Neecha Nagar (1946). He died on July 10, 1997 in Delhi, India.

30. Dibakar Banerjee

Director | Detective Byomkesh Bakshy!

Dibakar Banerjee was born on June 21, 1969 in New Delhi, India. He is a director and writer, known for Detective Byomkesh Bakshy! (2015), Sandeep Aur Pinky Faraar (2021) and Shanghai (2012).

31. Manoj Kumar

Actor | Roti Kapada Aur Makaan

Manoj Kumar, born Harikrishna Giri Goswami, is an Indian film actor, director, and screenwriter best known for his work in Hindi films.

Born in Abbottabad, a small town in the North-West Frontier Province, British India (now Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan), he and his family shifted to Delhi during ...

32. Shimit Amin

Director | Chak De! India

Born in Kampala, Uganda, Shimit Amin moved to the USA at a very young age and soon pursued filmmaking. He made his first film, "Ab Tak Chappan" (56 and Counting) about a group of Mumbai cops who became notorious with their license to kill.

His second film, "Chak De India" (Let's go India!), produced...

33. Shakti Samanta

Director | Aradhana

Shakti Samanta was born on January 13, 1926 in Burdwan, West Bengal, British India [now India]. He was a director and producer, known for Aradhana (1969), Anuraag (1972) and Amar Prem (1972). He died on April 9, 2009 in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India.

34. Ashutosh Gowariker

Writer | Swades: We, the People

His passion for cinema immediately draws your attention, making you realize that Ashutosh Gowariker would not have been anywhere except behind the camera, however tempting the choice. An actor who took to film direction after almost a decade in front of the camera, Ashutosh has acted in Hindi films...

35. Sai Paranjpye

Director | Sparsh

Sai Paranjpye has succeeded as a woman filmmaker of contemporary India in making work that has received both critical recognition and popular commercial appeal.She is of mixed ancestry with a Russian father and a mother from Maharashtra who had studied math in Cambridge,England.After her parents ...

36. Ram Gopal Varma

Director | Rangeela

Ram Gopal Varma was born in Hyderabad, the capital city of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. He initially was a video store owner before eventually becoming one of India's leading film directors. A film buff during his youth, Varma would watch both American and Indian cinema regularly. As a young...

37. Rajkumar Santoshi

Writer | Andaz Apna Apna

Rajkumar Santoshi is an Indian film director, producer and screenwriter of Hindi films. Counted as one of the most successful filmmakers in the Hindi film industry, he has received several accolades,including three National Film Awards and six Filmfare Awards.

Santoshi made his directorial debut ...

38. Deepa Mehta

Director | Fire

Deepa Mehta is a transnational artist and a screenwriter, director, and producer whose work has been called "courageous", "provocative" and "breathtaking". Her visually lush and emotionally resonating films have played at every major international film festival; receiving numerous awards and ...

39. Mira Nair

Director | Salaam Bombay!

Accomplished Film Director/Writer/Producer Mira Nair was born in India and educated at Delhi University and at Harvard. She began her film career as an actor and then turned to directing award-winning documentaries, including So Far From India and India Cabaret. Her debut feature film, Salaam ...

40. Basu Chatterjee

Director | Sara Akash

Basu Chatterjee was born on January 10, 1930 in Ajmer, British India. He was a director and writer, known for Sara Akash (1969), Rajnigandha (1974) and Swami (1977). He died on June 4, 2020 in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India.

41. Satyen Bose

Director | Dosti

Satyen Bose was born on January 22, 1916 in Calcutta, Bengal Presidency, British India. He was a director and writer, known for Dosti (1964), Mastan Dada (1977) and Raat Aur Din (1967). He died on June 9, 1993 in Bombay, Maharashtra, India.

42. Nitin Bose

Director | Gunga Jumna

Nitin Bose was born on April 27, 1897 in Calcutta, Bengal, British India [now India]. He was a director and cinematographer, known for Gunga Jumna (1961), Desher Mati (1938) and Dharti Mata (1938). He died on April 14, 1986 in Calcutta, West Bengal, India.

43. Aparna Sen

Director | Mr. and Mrs. Iyer

Aparna Sen is a renowned name in Bengali as well as Indian cinema. She has excelled both as an actor in film and theatre and as a director of parallel cinema.

Aparna was born in 1945 in Kolkata. Her father is film critic and film maker Late Chidananda Das Gupta. She studied at Modern High School and...

44. Hemen Gupta

Director | '42

Early Life and Background

Hemen Gupta was born in Rajasthan, British India. His father, Purnanand Gupta, worked in the State Treasury Office and for several years, was posted in Dhaka, Bangladesh, where Hemen spent his early childhood. His siblings were brothers Jogen, Biren, Rabin, Nripen and ...

45. Kamal Haasan

Actor | Vishwaroopam

Kamal Haasan was born November 7, 1954 in Paramakudi, Ramanathapuram District, Tamil Nadu. He debuted as a child artiste in the film "Kalathoor Kannamma" (1960). Since then, he has starred in nearly 220 films in the major Indian languages - Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam and Hindi. He has been a...

46. Basu Bhattacharya

Director | Teesri Kasam

Basu Bhattacharya (1934- 1997), born into a Bengali family of priests, made his mark as one of the pioneers of parallel cinema in Bombay, India. He made his debut with the 1966 film Teesri Kasam, produced by the lyricist Shailendra. His last film was Aastha in 1997.

His works mainly hovered around ...

47. Aditya Chopra

Writer | Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge

Aditya Chopra is a successful writer, producer, director, master storyteller, a visionary and also the driving force behind creativity at Yash Raj Films. He became an avid film buff from his early childhood. At the age of 18, his own film career kicked off. He started working as an assistant to his...

48. Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra

Producer | Rang De Basanti

Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra is a director, writer and producer who established Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra Pictures (Romp) in India. Romp has cultivated in them an attitude to pioneer the way for the new wave and new age cinema from India, by identifying talent (writers & directors) from India and telling ...

49. Prakash Jha

Director | Gangaajal

Prakash Jha is an Indian film director, producer, and screenwriter who is primarily known for his socially and politically relevant films like Apaharan (2005), Aarakshan (2011), and Raajneeti (2010), among others.

Jha went to Sainik School Tilaya in his hometown of Bettiah in Bihar, India. After ...

50. Raj Khosla

Director | Main Tulsi Tere Aangan Ki

Raj Khosla was born on May 31, 1925 in Ludhiana, Punjab, British India. He was a director and writer, known for Main Tulsi Tere Aangan Ki (1978), Ek Musafir Ek Hasina (1962) and Anita (1967). He died on June 9, 1991 in Bombay, Maharashtra, India.