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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 about the 1993 Mumbai bombings, followed by No Smoking (2007), Dev D (2009), Gulaal (2009), That Girl in Yellow Boots (2011) and Gangs of Wasseypur (2012). As a screenwriter, he wrote the scripts for the Filmfare Award-winning Satya (1998) and the Academy Award-nominated Canadian film Water (2005). He founded his film production company, Anurag Kashyap Films Pvt. Ltd. in 2009.- Producer
- Editor
- Writer
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 'niche' genre, it would definitely be Mega-Musicals. From Devdas to Bajirao Mastani, Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam to Saawariya, love of cinema and music, proclaims through every movie he writes or direct.
His 1999 Romantic-Drama, Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, starring heartthrob duo Salman-Aishwarya became one of the most critically cherished movies of the Genre. Amitabh Bachan, starrer Black was equally appreciated by the critics. But he made his presence felt with 2002 adaptation of the Hindi literary masterpiece, Devdas, for a silver-screen experience. He received a nomination for Best Foreign Film at BAFTA for the movie.
Devdas has become a name synonymous with a passionate, intense love that does not find consummation. This similar theme has been repeated numerous time in the literary work. And one of them is Romeo & Juliet. He translated this classic tale into Indian Folk Idiom.- Director
- Writer
- Actor
Ayan Mukerji was born on 15 August 1983 in Calcutta, West Bengal, India. He is a director and writer, known for Brahmastra Part One: Shiva (2022), Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani (2013) and Wake Up Sid (2009).- Producer
- Writer
- Art Director
An accomplished and award-winning producer-director-writer-actor-singer, Farhan Akhtar is the ultimate Bollywood multi-hyphenate. Born in 1974 to prolific Indian film writer and poet, Javed Akhtar and writer-director, Honey Irani , Farhan was raised in an environment where creativity and originality of thought were encouraged. This has made him a maverick whose films reflect refreshingly new content that easily strikes a chord with filmgoers.
In 1999, Farhan collaborated with Ritesh Sidhwani, a friend who shared his passion for good cinema, to form Excel Entertainment, a production banner that has become synonymous with excellence in film-making.
Debuting at the age of 26, as a writer, director, and producer with Dil Chahta Hai (2001) a coming-of-age film that has gained cult status, Farhan came to be lauded for his honest, path-breaking writing and his ability to extract mature performances from his cast. The film won Farhan his first National Award for 'Best Hindi Feature Film' along with Filmfare awards for 'Best Feature Film - Critics Choice' and 'Best Screenplay'.
Almost two decades later, this film continues to influence a generation of filmmakers.
Seven years after his dream debut as a writer-director, Farhan debuted as an actor-singer in Rock On!! (2008) Yet another runaway success, the film secured him a second National Award for 'Best Hindi Feature Film' and a Filmfare award for 'Best Debut Performance'.
The dream run continued with Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara (2011) which released in 2011 to much popular and critical acclaim, winning him three Filmfare awards for 'Best Film', 'Best Actor in a supporting role' and 'Best Dialogue'.
His next, a biopic on Indian athlete Milkha Singh, popularly known as 'the Flying Sikh', was entitled Bhaag Milkha Bhaag (2013).
He essayed the role with such integrity that it set the standard for other actors considering to play titular protagonists in biopics. Deservingly, Farhan swept all awards that year for 'Best Actor' as did the film for 'Best Film'. It also claimed the National award for 'Best Popular Film providing Wholesome Entertainment.'
His most recent release The Sky Is Pink (2019) premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival and received a 15-minute standing ovation from the audience at the Roy Thomson Hall.
In addition to his contribution to Indian cinema, Farhan has initiated and supported a plethora of social causes. In 2012, he founded MARD (Men against Rape & Discrimination), an initiative that raises awareness about gender-related issues amongst the youth of India. Recognizing his sustained efforts, Farhan was made the first male UNwomen goodwill ambassador (South Asia) in 2014.
Additionally, Farhan feeds his passion for music by writing, composing and performing live with his band FarhanLive.
His English language debut album 'Echoes' released in March 2019 to critical acclaim.
He has 2 daughters and lives in Mumbai, India.- Actor
- Producer
- Music Department
Aamir Khan was born on March 14, 1965 in Mumbai. He is one of the most successful Indian Bollywood actors who is also known as "Mr. Perfectionist of Bollywood". With his recent successes in both the Indian and Chinese film markets, he has shouldered his way into becoming one of the world's biggest superstars. Undergoing rapid transformations in his body structure to better embody the variegated characters in his energetic films, Aamir has garnered praise from all parts of the globe. His most visible transformations can be seen in such movies as Lagaan (2001), Fanaa (2006), Taare Zameen Par (2007), Ghajini (2008), 3 idiots (2009), Talaash (2012), Dhoom 3 (2013), PK (2014), Dangal (2016) and Secret Superstar (2017). His recent successes with movies like Dangal, PK , Talaash and TV serial Satyamev Jayate have attracted attention from more serious moviegoing crowds. However, he is perhaps better known for his fabulous comedic roles, as exemplified by his iconic performances in cult comedies such as Andaz Apna Apna, Passion, and Dil Chahta Hai, to name a few. Aamir is also no slouch at TV commercial work.
2001's Lagaan released in China nationwide, beginning what would be a series of Aamir Khan films that would firmly plant Indian filmmaking into the minds of Chinese audiences. 3 Idiots became a cult hit in China farther along in the 2000's, followed by Like Stars on Earth and Ghajini, both of which went on to gain huge followings. Aamir Khan's streak of Chinese box office hits continued into and throughout the 2010's with the rapid-fire release of Dhoom 3 (2013), PK (2014), Dangal (2016) and Secret Superstar (2017).
Aamir was first introduced as a child artist in the 1970's hit Procession of Memories (1973) - he was the youngest child in the trio.
His performance in Earth (1998) as the Ice-Candy man has received rave reviews from Indian and international critics. Using classic "method acting" and an adopted technique inspired by his seniors Sanjeev Kumar, Rajesh Khanna, Dev Anand and Shammi Kapoor, Aamir acts in all genres of Indian films - comedy, action, drama and romance. He is regarded as a complete Indian actor of the post 1990 generation of actors for his diverse choice of roles and films. In 2007 he turned director with the film Like Stars on Earth (2007), which not only brought him immense critical acclaim but was also a huge box office success. Many of his films are considered as cult classics like Lagaan: Once Upon a Time in India (2001), Dil Chahta Hai (2001), Rang De Basanti (2006), Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar (1992) and Andaz Apna Apna (1994). He divorced his first wife Reena Dutta on December 09, 2001 and married Kiran Rao in December 28, 2005 and divorced her on July 03, 2021.
In 2008 his first all out commercial action film Ghajini (2008) went on to become the highest grossing film of its time in Indian Cinema and 4th highest inflation adjusted, grossing a total of Rs.226 on the worldwide box office and the first film to cross 100 crores on the domestic Indian box office, making a total of Rs.115 crores. This record didn't last long, though, since his next release 3 Idiots (2009) went on to shatter not only the highest grosser record but many more. It not only made the highest opening first day, first weekend and first week records but subsequently continued to shatter many records on the following weekends and weeks, making many circuits on the way. It made a total of Rs.202 crores domestically and Rs.400 crores on the worldwide box office, becoming the highest overseas grosser to date, a staggering feat given that no other film had even come close to making Rs.100 crores on the domestic box office until then, except for his own Ghajini (2008) the previous year.
Aamir is said to be the actor who first started the trend of actors working in one film at a time, when the others worked in four or five at the same time. He is also known to shun popular film trade magazine awards like Filmfare, Star Screen, etc. as he doesn't have trust in their credibility and transparency. Recently he was awarded the third highest civilian honor Padama Bhushan by the government of India.
Aamir's expansive range of characterizations remains unparalleled amongst his contemporaries. Because of this diversity and his formidable ability to portray different characters believably on screen, he is today regarded not only as one of the biggest stars in Bollywood but also as one of the finest actors in all of Indian Cinema.- Director
- Actor
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Tigmanshu Dhulia was born on 3 July 1967 in Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh, India. He is a director and actor, known for Gangs of Wasseypur (2012), Paan Singh Tomar (2012) and Saheb Biwi Aur Gangster (2011).- Writer
- Producer
- Director
Five feature films, three short films, one web series, six Filmfare awards, an Emmy nomination and India's official entry to the Oscars outlines Zoya Akhtar's unique ability to tell stories that break the conventional norms and create waves globally.
Zoya's directorial journey began with Luck By Chance (2009), followed by Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara (2011), Dil Dhadakne Do (2015), and the internationally acclaimed Gully Boy (2019), which have since acquired cult status, and won numerous global awards and accolades. The globally celebrated series Made in Heaven (2019) for Amazon Prime and the international Emmy nominated Lust Stories (2018) for Netflix have further extended Zoya's reach as a universal storyteller. Zoya's most recent directorial, The Archies (2023) is the official adaptation and the first ever feature film of the globally revered Archie comics.
Through Tiger Baby, Zoya has also turned producer - with Made in Heaven (2019), Eternally Confused and Eager for Love (2022), Dahaad (2023), The Archies (2023) and Kho Gaye Hum Kahan (2023) already under her belt, and many more exciting projects to come!- Producer
- Actor
- Writer
A close friend of Shahrukh Khan, he assisted Yash Chopra's Yash Raj Films during the early days of of his career, making his directorial debut with the mega-hit Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998). He also had a popular chat show named Koffee with Karan (2004) The success of "KKHH" made him one of the most high-profile directors in the Hindi-language Mumbai Film industry, popularly known as Bollywood.
Also a close friend of Aditya Chopra, he has been a creative member of Yash Raj productions such as Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (1995), Veer-Zaara (2004), Dil To Pagal Hai (1997), and Mohabbatein (2000).
Johar's success has guaranteed him worldwide distribution of his production company, Dharma Productions, for many years to come.- Producer
- Director
- Writer
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 Indian stories to the world.
Rakeysh has written, produced and directed the film Rang de Basanti (Color of Sacrifice) (2006), with an ensemble of Indian and International cast. Rang De Basanti won 4 National Awards (President's Medals), was India's official entry to the Oscars 2006- 2007 It was also nominated by British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) in the Best Foreign language film category 06-07.
Rakeysh went onto make Delhi -6 (2009) which is set against the backdrop of the caste and religious divide of the Indian social fabric. Delhi -6 has achieved tremendous critical acclaim and was an official selection at the prestigious Venice Film Festival . It won two National Awards (President Of India Medals). The Variety has termed it as un-bollywood , and "a step forward from Rang De Basanti , ushering an era of new age Indian cinema."
In 2011, Rakeysh's documentary film Bollywood: The Greatest Love Story (which was co-directed by Jeffery Zimbalist) was an official selection at the Cannes 2011 to celebrate 100 years of Indian Cinema. It is a docu feature, an avantgarde take on how Indian cinema has reflected the changing socio-political landscape since India got independence from the British Raj.
His film Bhaag Milkha Bhaag (2013) was set in the backdrop of when India gained freedom from the British in 1947, and the bloody ethnic violence that led to the massacre of thousands and the displacement of millions. This story is about the triumph of the undying human spirit, based on the life of the greatest Indian Olympian Milkha Singh , also known as "The flying Sikh". The film made a clean sweep at all the popular film awards in India, including two National Film Awards (President of India Medals).
Mirzya - (2016) which is a contemporary take on the legend of Mirza-Sahiban, a tragic love story told as a musical spectacle premiered at the London Film Festival. It was showcased at Chicago Film Festival , Busan Film Festival etc.
He has recently finished his latest project named 'Mere Pyaarey Prime Minister' which is under post production and due to release Summer of 2018. It is the story of an 8 year old boy's desire to build a toilet for his mother.
Rakeysh is also producing the under production film 'Fanney Khan', starring Anil Kapoor, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Rajkumar Rao. It is also expected to release by Summer of 2018.- Director
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- Actor
Writer-Director of the successful Bollywood feature films Kai Po Che, Rock On!! and Kedarnath. He is the founder of production company Guy in the Sky Pictures (India). His latest movie Kedarnath released on 7th December 2018. Abhishek lives and works in Mumbai, India where he is preparing for his next two movies Sharaabi and an Untitled movie based on the Pulwama terror attack.- Director
- Writer
- Actor
Raj Kumar Gupta made his debut as a writer & director with the critically acclaimed and commercially successful 'Aamir' (2008). Shot with a shoestring budget, guerilla style on the streets of Mumbai, this edgy thriller established Raj Kumar as a filmmaker to look out for and garnered several award nominations in the Best Debut Director category that year. After penning the screenplay of 'Barah Aana' (2009), Raj Kumar Gupta wrote and directed 'No One Killed Jessica' (2011), based on the true story of the murder of Jessica Lal and the controversial trial of the case. This powerful drama featuring Rani Mukerjee and Vidya Balan drew rave reviews and set the box-office ringing. Nominated for several awards including the prestigious Filmfare & Screen Awards in the Best Film, Best Director and Best Screenplay categories, 'No One Killed Jessica' catapulted the filmmaker into the big league. In 2013, Raj Kumar Gupta shifted gears by surprising his audience with the suspense comic caper 'Ghanchakkar'. Starring Emraan Hashmi and Vidya Balan, the film drew an extremely divided response from both critics and viewers, but confirmed that the filmmaker wasn't going to play by the conventional rules set by the industry. Raj Kumar Gupta made his debut as a producer in 2016 with a short film titled "Aaba" under his production house Raapchik Films Pvt. Ltd. which premiered at Berlin Film Festival 2017 in the Generation K Plus Category and went on to win the prestigious International Jury Prize for Best Short film in its category.- Writer
- Director
- Actor
Homi Adajania was born in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India. He is known for Being Cyrus (2005), Saas, Bahu Aur Flamingo (2023) and Cocktail (2012). He is married to Anaita Shroff.- Director
- Producer
- Writer
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 man, he attended Siddhartha Engineering College in Vijayawada. Varma started his career in telugu cinema (the Hyderabad film industry), where he made a huge mark with his debut film Shiva, a violent and stylized actioner set in a college backdrop. At the age of 28, with little film training, Varma was able to convince Nagarjuna, a young Telugu star, to act in his debut picture. Nagarjuna was drawn by the narration of the script and intelligence displayed by the young Varma. Shiva was a landmark hit for the industry and was remade by Varma in the hindi language a year later.
His next was the exciting adventure film, Kshana Kshanam, starring Venkatesh and Sridevi. Varma followed this up with such films as - Raatri, a homage to 'The Exorcist' starring Revati and Om Puri (which Varma would remake over a decade later in Hindi as Bhoot) and Antham, a stylized crime drama, with Nagarjuna and Urmila Matondkar (which Varma would also rework later as Satya) - but was not able to attain the commercial success of his first feature. His next release Gaayam, with Jagapathi Babu and Urmila Matondkar, was a violent crime drama set in Hyderabad. The screenplay was co-written by tamil film director Mani Ratnam, and the script based on 'The Godfather'. It became a success for Varma. He then decided to start his own production banner, Varma Corporation Limited, and produced successful telugu films such as Money (remade later as Love Ke Liye Kuchh Bhi Karega), Money Money (its sequel), Gulabi and Anaganaga Oka Roju.
His first huge success in hindi cinema (the Mumbai film industry) was the commercial blockbuster Rangeela, a stylish romantic drama with Aamir Khan and Urmila Matondkar. A.R. Rahman, a tamil music composer, was introduced to hindi audiences by Varma with this film and won the award for best film music.
Varma followed up with the ground breaking gangster saga Satya, a violent crime epic set in the Mumbai underworld. The film was gritty and realistic, reinventing the crime genre in Indian cinema. Varma had done extensive research for the film, and reworked certain elements of his earlier film Antham. Satya was widely considered Varma's first true masterwork. Made on a shoestring budget and with new faces, the film won awards for actor Manoj Bajpai and music composer Vishal Bharadwaj. Satya became a turning point in Varma's career, winning best picture of the year, and Varma would be forever associated with Mumbai noirs.
Varma then, with fellow director Shekhar Kapur, created a joint film production company in 1998 called India Talkies. The first venture of the production house was the ambitious terrorist drama 'Dil Se', with Shahrukh Khan and Manisha Koirala. The film was a box office dud, and India Talkies would be short lived. Varma would return to focusing on his own production house Varma Corp.
The hard hitting masterpiece 'Shool' followed shortly after, written and produced by Varma. The film depicted the life of an honest police officer in the violent and harsh rural setting of Bihar. The film was a commercial and critical success with both Manoj Bajpai and Sayaji Shinde winning awards for their performances. Varma lightened things up next with the romantic drama 'Mast'. The film was inspired by Varma's own college days, and featured Aftab Shivdasani in an award-winning turn as a film crazy college student.
Varma decided afterwards to only direct films in the Mumbai film industry. He believed there was more talent in Mumbai than in southern film cities like Chennai and Hyderabad. Varma had always admired directors such as Shyam Benegal, Govind Nihlani, and Gulzar. He considers Kalyug, Ardh Satya, and Mere Apne among his favorite Indian films of all time. At a time when popular Indian Cinema featured either over the top action films or glamorous love stories, Varma's films were more rooted and realistic. Varma is known to frequently cut out song and dance sequences in his films, which are usually commonplace in Bollywood. His films almost always deal with the contemporary and urban, usually set in the city of Mumbai. He often uses Indian stage actors in his films rather than established bollywood stars. Mainly known for creating the 'Mumbai noir', Varma brought psychological depth and cinematic virtuosity to genre films.
More recently, Varma returned with the organized crime masterpiece 'Company'. The film was again set in the Mumbai underworld, and was based on real life Underworld don Dawood Ibrahim and his criminal outfit D-Company. The film featured award-winning performances by Ajay Devgan, Vivek Oberoi and Manisha Koirala. The film also won awards for best editing by Chandan Arora and best story by Jaideep Sahni. The film was lauded by critics and audiences alike.
His latest release Naach, which Varma called his best film yet, was a largely self reflective piece, about the relationship between an idealistic choreographer and an ambitious actor. The film had a weak commercial run but was liked by critics. In a recent interview with the Indian Express newspaper, the filmmaker criticized Indian audiences saying "I gave Ayn Rand to a Municipal School."
He spends most of his time these days producing small budget films for his successful production house Varma Corp. Though not always credited, he is involved in all aspects of his productions, often believed to 'ghost direct' many of the films. He produces films at a fast speed that is unfamiliar to the Indian Film Industry. He has had many recent successes including - 'Ab Tak Chhappan', based on the experiences of famed Mumbai police Daya Naik, 'D', a prequel to his earlier hit Company based on the early years of Dawood Ibrahim during his days under Pathan underworld boss Karim Lala, 'Ek Hasina Thi', a female revenge thriller, and finally 'Road'. He has also produced lighter films such as 'Love Ke Liye Kuchh Bhi Karega' and 'Main Madhuri Dixit Banna Chahti Hoon'.- Writer
- Editor
- Producer
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. Among his awards, include 11 Filmfare Awards. He is the founder and owns the production house Rajkumar Hirani Films.- Director
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Cinema entered the ordinary life of a young, sports and soccer enthusiast Shoojit Sircar, studying in Delhi, India, quite by chance when during the XIIth grade a friend suggested accompanying him for the viewing of a film. Unbeknownst to Sircar, this film would mark for him the beginning of a whole new way of looking at life. The film was Satyajit Ray's 'Pather Panchali' ('Song of the Little Road'). Curious and much impacted by this 'art form', Shoojit went on to watch the entire 'Apu trilogy' including 'Aparijito' (The Unvanquished) and 'The World of Apu'; and all other films by Ray, besides films by film-makers Ritwik Ghatak and Mrinal Sen. There are three films however besides Ray's 'Pather Panchali' that Shoojit specifically credits for giving 'birth to the cinema within him'; and for encouraging him to look at everything in life, differently; these are - Truffaut's '400 Blows', Vittorio De Sica's 'Bicycle Thieves' and Oliver Stone's "Platoon". Another important turning point in his journey was when he joined 'ACT ONE', a theatre group in Delhi, led by director, Mr.N.K. Sharma. There Shoojit handled backstage, across all departments - giving him the experience of creating theatre with minimalist resources, along with being rooted in the rigor and discipline that comes with living the life of theatre. His first big break as independent director ironically was a commercial on football, which he followed with a music video, 'MANN KE MANJEERE'. While most music videos of the time catered to the 'pop' form of storytelling - this one explored a more realistic journey, that of a woman, played by Mita Vashisht; a single mother who breaks away from an abusive married life and chooses to become a 'truck driver', then quite the traditional bastion of the male. Composed by Shantanu Moitra, with lyrics by Prasoon Joshi and sung by Shubha Mudgal, the video was viewed by over 20 million people at the time, its impact described as '"Mann ke Manjeeré has made a breakthrough by claiming public space for women's aspirations." Shoojit's first major directorial feature 'YAHAAN' (2005), on the turmoil faced by the Kashmiri people - won him the best director award in the Osian Film Festival 2005. He followed that with "VICKY DONOR" (2012), a film that dealt with the issue of infertility and brought the taboo topic of sperm donation onto a dining table conversation, 'Vicky Donor' went on to win three national awards including 'Best Entertainer of the year'. He followed that up with the hard - hitting political thriller 'MADRAS CAFE' (2013), throwing light on one of the most tumultuous periods in the sub-continent history - the Sri Lankan civil war. A year later, he brought us the much loved slice of life, 'PIKU' (2015) - a father-daughter comic drama, centered around an ageing, possessive father and his constant 'bowel problem'; aptly played out by Amitabh Bachchan and Deepika Padukone; winning over 18 awards from across the nation. And then came, 'PINK' (2016) - a film that gave voice to millions of Indian women; that proclaimed a 'No means No'; a film that proved to be not just a movie but a 'movement'; With 'OCTOBER' (2018), Shoojit Sircar shared a most poetic, soulful, personal take on love... And with the absurdist satire, 'GULABO SITABO' (2020), an unapologetic take on human greed! And most recently, the powerful and cinematically rich period biographical drama, 'SARDAR UDHAM' (2021), a film about India's pre independence movement with a compelling take on the 'revolutionary vs. terrorist' debate. With such a diverse and distinct repertoire of films, Shoojit Sircar today stands out as one of the most important and original voices of Indian Cinema. Besides bringing forth such quality cinema, Shoojit Sircar has also taken up the mantle of backing projects as a producer, producing the much appreciated and well received (Bengali) features, "Aparajita Tumi" and "Open Tee Bioscope"
As an ad film maker, Shoojit has been recognized internationally through works like the Cannes award winning, 'Lead India campaign' by The Times of India group, which brought together most respected Indian icons. His last (digital) campaign, an authentic reflection on modern parenting, has become a major talking point, going on to garner millions of hits on social media.- Producer
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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 father in CHANDNI (1989), LAMHE (1991) and DARR (1993).
Aditya Chopra made his directorial debut at the age of 23, with DILWALE DULHANIA LE JAYENGE (DDLJ) (1995) which is still running theatrically, after it was originally released on 20 October 1995 and created a landmark of being the longest running film in Indian Cinema. He won every conceivable award for this film, including 10 Filmfare Awards (highest for a film until that year) and the coveted National Award for the Best Film for providing Popular and Wholesome Entertainment.
His other directorial ventures include the highly successful films MOHABBATEIN (2000), RAB NE BANA DI JODI (2008) and also the feisty romance BEFIKRE (2016). The Chairman and Managing Director at YRF - Aditya Chopra's trend setting excellence over the years has elevated the production house to the position it holds today.- Director
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- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Mohit Suri (born 11th of April 1981, India) is a film director, as well as an assistant director and member of the Bhatt family. His uncle is director Mahesh Bhatt and his cousin is actor Emraan Hashmi who has starred in three of his films. His sister Smilie Suri has also appeared in his film Kalyug.
He made his debut as a director with the 2005 film Zeher which was a moderate success. It followed it up with Kalyug (2005) which was both a critical and commercial success. His third film Woh Lamhe (2006) did not do as well but was critically acclaimed. His recent release Awarapan (2007) has also been critically acclaimed but has not done well at the box office- Writer
- Director
- Producer
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 with the crime film Ghayal (1990), which won him the National Film Award for Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment as well as the Filmfare Award for Best Director. He next directed the thrillers Damini (1993) and Ghatak: Lethal (1996). All these three financially successful films starred Sunny Deol, Amrish Puri and Meenakshi Seshadri; the second of these garnered him a second Filmfare Best Director Award and the latter fetched him the Filmfare Best Screenplay Award as well as a Filmfare Best Director Award nomination. During this period, Santoshi also received praise for directing the comedy Andaz Apna Apna (1994), which though a box office flop has attained cult status, and the major box-office hit Barsaat (1995), that marked the film debut of Bobby Deol and Twinkle Khanna. In 2000, he wrote dialogues of the average-earning film Pukar which garnered him the Nargis Dutt Award for Best Feature Film on National Integration. He followed it by directing two moderate commercial successes-the biopic The Legend of Bhagat Singh (2002) and the action thriller Khakee (2004)-both of which earned him Best Director nominations at the Filmfare. Santoshi's highest-grossing film release came in 2009 with the romantic comedy Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani, starring Ranbir Kapoor and Katrina Kaif, in which he also appeared in a cameo role.
Rajkumar Santoshi has finished filming his next directional Badboy.- Director
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Anurag Basu, a Bollywood director and writer explores relationships and adversity on reel. He had his share of tough times when he was diagnosed with leukemia.
Basu directed television serials among which is Tara (1993), which became one of the first soap operas on Indian television. He also directed Balaji Telefilms' Koshish Ek Aasha (1997) and Miit (2002), which was based on Rabindranath Tagore's Noukadubi.
He made his debut in movies with Kucch Toh Hai (2003). It starred Tusshar Kapoor and Esha Deol. The movie wasn't anywhere near a major success. He made movies under the Vishesh Films banner. Saaya (2003) belonged to the supernatural genre about a doctor who communicates with his dead wife through his patients. It starred John Abraham and Tara Sharma.
Murder (2004) was based on Hollywood's hit Unfaithful. It starred Emraan Hashmi and Mallika Sherawat. The movie along with it's soundtrack became a big success. During the filming of his next movie Tumsa Nahin Dekhan (2004), Basu was diagnosed with blood cancer. The movie was later completed by Mohit Suri and Mahesh Bhatt.
In 2006, Anurag Basu came back to make Gangster with Emraan Hashmi, Kangana Ranaut and Shiney Ahuja. It was supposed to be based on Abu Salem's real life affair with actress Monica Bedi. The movie did well.
It was followed by the critically acclaimed Life in a Metro.
He wrote the screenplays for Gangster, Life in a Metro and Kites and won the Filmfare Best Screenplay Award for Life in a Metro.- Producer
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Mahesh Bhatt was born on 20 September 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".- Composer
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- Producer
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 well as the internationally acclaimed Shakespeare Trilogy - Maqbool, Omkara and Haider (adapted from Macbeth, Othello and Hamlet, respectively). Prominent films written and produced by him are Ishqiya, Dedh Ishqiya and Talvar (based on the Noida double murder case).
He has received 3 international awards: Makdee (2002) received the Best Film award at the Chicago International Children's Film Festival, Omkara (2006) won the Best Artistic Contribution in Cinema award at the Cairo International Film Festival and Haider (2014) won the People's Choice award at the Rome Film Festival. He has also received 7 National Awards: Best Music Direction for Godmother (1999), Best Children's Film for The Blue Umbrella (2005), Special Jury Award for Omkara (2006), Best Music Direction for Ishqiya (2010), Best Dialogues and Best Music Direction for Haider (2014) and Best Screenplay for Talvar (2015).- Writer
- Director
- Producer
Indian filmmaker Rohit Shetty is well-known for his high-octane films with breath-takin action scenes and exciting storylines. Rohit is the son of Ratna, a young Hindi cinema artist, and late Hindi film stunt coordinator M.B. Shetty. He was raised alongside his four siblings, Kiran Shetty, Chaya Shetty, Uday Shetty as well as Hriday Shetty.
When he was 17, he began his career in film as an assistant director on Kuku Kohli's Phool Aur Kaante (1991). He went on to assist him for several years after that and assisted him in films like Haqeeqat (1995) and Zulmi (1999).
Following that, he went on to work with Ajay Devgn in the romantic comedy Pyaar To Hona Hi Tha (1998), the military movie Hindustan Ki Kasam (1999), and the comic film Raju Chacha (2000) in order to hone his craft.
At the age of 30, Shetty directed his first movie, Zameen (2003)- the Ajay Devgn-starring action thriller was a financial success in Bollywood. His subsequent motion picture, Golmaal: Fun Unlimited (2006), was an immediate success with audiences- it garnered him a cult of devoted fans. One of the film's leading actors, Tusshar Kapoor, won his first IIFA Award for his performance as the mute child Lucky Gill.
In 2008, he directed the comedy-drama Sunday (2008), which featured renowned stars like [;ink=nm1779702] and Ajay Devgn. Golmaal Returns (2008)' is the sequel of Golmaal: Fun Unlimited (2006), which was released in the same year, 2008. Shreyas Talpade and Kareena Kapoor were added to the cast for the movie's second part- it received both laudatory and scathing reviews but did rather well at the box office, grossing over Rs 720 million worldwide in its first week.
2010 saw the filming of both Golmaal 3 and the critically acclaimed action-film Singham (2011), in which Ajay Devgn starred as a police officer fighting injustice. There was universal acclaim for Singham (2011), a film that pays homage to action movies of the 1970s, and it was a huge financial success. Prakash Raj's portrayal of the villain Jaikant Shikre stood out, and the IIFA awarded him Best Performance in a Negative Performance. After the movie came out, it was praised for its great action scenes and acting.
Up next for Shetty was the comedy-drama Bol Bachchan (2012), which starred Abhishek Bachchan and Ajay Devgn- the film was warmly received in India, and it fared well at the box office. He then went on to helm the film Chennai Express (2013), starring Shah Rukh Khan and Deepika Padukone, the following year. At its release, the film had become the highest-grossing Bollywood film in India and the third-highest-grossing Bollywood film worldwide.
Shetty started his own production company, Rohit Shetty Productions, around 2014. Their filmography included the sequel Singham Returns (2014) and the blockbuster Dilwale (2015), the latter marked the much-anticipated reunion of Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol.
Other renowned films that Shetty directed include the supernatural comedy Golmaal Again (2017) and the action comedy Simmba (2018)- Ranveer Singh, and Sara Ali Khan played the male and female leads in the second movie, respectively. Two more films followed this blockbuster, Sooryavanshi (2021) and Cirkus (2022). From 2009 to 2010, Shetty was a panelist on the TV show Comedy Circus (2018). He also hosted several seasons of the Indian version of Fear Factor (2017).- Director
- Writer
- Actor
Abhinav Kashyap was born on 6 September 1974 in Obra, Uttar Pradesh. He is a director and writer, known for Dabangg (2010), Ssshhhh... Koi Hai (2001) and Besharam (2013).- Producer
- Director
- Additional Crew
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 been at his best. One of the few remaining commercial Indian directors who started their careers in the 1950s, he has successfully moved with the times from the socially significant Dhool Ka Phool (1959) to the young and cool Dil To Pagal Hai (1997).
Yash Chopra was born in Lahore in 1932, to an accountant in the PWD division of the British Punjab administration, the youngest of eight children. He began as an assistant director to I.S. Johar before working with his elder brother, the legendary B.R. Chopra; while another brother, Dharam Chopra, worked as his cameraman. He was given his first directorial opportunity with Dhool Ka Phool (1959), a melodrama about illegitimacy; it became a hit and even now remains popular today. Encouraged by this success, the Chopra brothers made a few more movies together, the most notable being Waqt (1965), India's first multi-starrer; and Ittefaq (1969), a thriller. On the personal front, Chopra married Pamela Chopra (née Singh) in 1970, and they had two children, Aditya Chopra and Uday Chopra, both working in the film industry today.
In 1973, the Chopra brothers separated, with Yash Chopra founded his studio, Yash Raj Films, and launched it with Daag: A Poem of Love (1973), a successful melodrama about a polygamous man. He then entered one of his best phases with two Amitabh Bachchan classics: Deewaar (1975) and Kabhi Kabhie (1976). These movies set the standard for the 1970s and 1980s, establishing Bachchan as the greatest and most beloved Indian film star of all time. His respective roles--a bitter criminal and a sensitive, brooding poet--are considered to be his greatest performances, although complete opposites of each other.
In the 1980s, Chopra went through a rough time. Two of his melodramas, Silsila (1981) and Faasle (1985); and two action-oriented films, Mashaal (1984) and Vijay (1988), flopped at the box office, although the latter became a critically acclaimed classic years later. However, he made a comeback with his musical love triangle Chandni (1989). The film was a huge success, with great performances by established heroine Sridevi and action hero Vinod Khanna. Then came what critics and Chopra himself considered his best film, Lamhe (1991), a beautiful film about cross-generational love. It couldn't survive the box office, however, due to its incestuous nature.
Parampara (1993), done for an outside producer, was a misfire, but then came the box-office hit and trend setter Darr (1993). Starring the then-débutant Shah Rukh Khan, it showed a sympathetic look at obsessive love and an emotion often overlooked in love--fear--and its success catapulted Khan to super-stardom. In 1995, Chopra turned to production and Aditya Chopra made his directorial debut with Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (1995), which had the longest-running initial release in cinema history. He directed one more film, Dil To Pagal Hai (1997), a love story set against the theater, which became a huge success and a cult hit, before he retired from directing. However, in 2004, he made a grand comeback with Veer-Zaara (2004), a touching cross-border love story, which he said would be his last directorial effort.
The ages of the director and playback singer Lata Mangeshkar, his muse, proved you need to be young, as well as crazy, at heart, to be a true romantic....- Actor
- Additional Crew
- Director
Prabhu Deva, born in Mysuru, Karnataka, India, is a multi-talented Indian actor, choreographer, and film director who has left an indelible mark on the Indian entertainment industry. Often referred to as the "Indian Michael Jackson" for his exceptional dance skills, Prabhu Deva is known for his contributions to both Bollywood and South Indian cinema.
Prabhu Deva initially rose to fame as a choreographer in the Indian film industry. His unique dance style and innovative choreography quickly garnered attention and earned him widespread acclaim. He worked on numerous hit songs and became one of the most sought-after choreographers in the 1990s.
In addition to his choreography career, Prabhu Deva ventured into acting. He made his debut as a lead actor in the Tamil film "Indhu" (1994) and went on to establish himself as a successful actor in the South Indian film industry. His performances in films like "Kadhalan" (1994) and "Minsara Kanavu" (1997) showcased not only his acting prowess but also his exceptional dance skills.
Prabhu Deva's popularity transcended regional boundaries, and he made his mark in Bollywood as well. He gained widespread recognition for his performance in the film "Wanted" (2009), which marked his Hindi film debut as a lead actor. The film's success paved the way for his subsequent Bollywood ventures, including "Rowdy Rathore" (2012) and "R... Rajkumar" (2013).
Apart from acting and choreography, Prabhu Deva has made significant contributions as a film director. He has directed successful films in multiple languages, including the critically acclaimed Tamil film "Kaadhalan" (1994) and the Hindi film "Singh is Bling" (2015).
Prabhu Deva's influence on the Indian film industry extends beyond his individual achievements. His dance school, Prabhu Deva's Dance Academy, has contributed to nurturing talent in the field of dance.
Prabhu Deva remains an influential figure in Indian cinema, continuing his successful career in acting, choreography, and filmmaking.- Writer
- Director
- Actor
Anees Bazmee was born on November 1, 1962 in a remote town of Modasa in Gujarat, India. Born to an Urdu poet Abdul Hameed 'Nerang' Bazmee and housewife Khatoon Begum, he realized his cinematic inclination at a very early age. He started working as a Child artist at the tender age of 12 and showcased his acting chops in films like 'Bhayanak' and 'Kitab'. He was greatly applauded for his portrayal of young Shatrughan Sinha in 'Naseeb'.
Poetry and lyricism courses through his blood and he credits his father for passing his hold over words to him. At age 13, in the year 1976, he landed in Mumbai to follow his dreams of being a filmmaker. He dabbled in a number of jobs in his initial years viz, art direction, editing and sound recording to gain hands on experience and knowledge about the workings of the industry and filmmaking. He worked as an assistant writer to some of the most prominent writers of that time mainly Mr Ravinder Pippat and Jainendra Jai. During these years, the desire to become a director took root in his heart.
His consistent hard work and belief in himself turned this desire into reality when in 1982, he worked alongside the legendary actor and filmmaker Raj Kapoor in the film 'Prem Rog' as an assistant director. Thereafter he assisted many more eminent Bollywood directors and ghost-wrote for more than 15 films.
In 1990, the film 'Swarg' starring superstars Rajesh Khanna and Govinda marked Anees Bazmee's debut as a screenplay writer. A certified box-office hit, the film received critical acclaim for its spectacular writing. He was soon engulfed by writing projects and delivered consecutive hits, each one bigger than the last, like 'Shola Aur Shabnam', 'Raja Babu', 'Aankhen', 'Deewana Mastana', 'Bol Radha Bol', 'Laadla' and 'Mujhse Shaadi Karoge', to mention a few. He has earned the title of being the most prolific writer among his generation, penning over 60 films in Hindi, Tamil and Marathi across varied genres including comedy, romance, suspense, thriller, action, etc.
In the year 1995, his long overdue aspiration of being a full-fledged director was fulfilled. He wrote and directed the box-office success film 'Hulchul' which starred Ajay Devgn, Kajol and Vinod Khanna. In 1998, he delivered his next blockbuster 'Pyaar To Hona Hi Tha', once again starring Ajay Devgn and Kajol. The film 'Deewangee' followed in 2002. In 2005, he created a revolutionary wave in Indian Cinema with the comedy film 'No Entry'. This film permanently marked him as one of the most accomplished directors of recent times. The following years saw him breaking records with hit after hit movies like 'Welcome','Singh is Kinng' and 'Ready', to name a few.
A writer-director of great virtuosity, Anees Bazmee has worked with an illustrious set of stars like Irrfan Khan, Ajay Devgn, Salman Khan, Akshay Kumar, Anil Kapoor, Suniel Shetty, Govinda, Paresh Rawal and Nana Patekar among others. He has also maintained prolonged and healthy relations with highly regarded production houses like UTV, Boney Kapoor Productions, Vipul Amrutlal Shah, Baba Films, Firoz Nadiadwala and Studio 18.
A career traversing over three and a half decades and counting, he has mastered the art of filmmaking and has captured millions of hearts through his storytelling, all over the world. He has made people cry, fall in love and fall off their seats laughing. Truly a master, he has carved a niche for himself in the world of blockbuster and entertainment of Indian cinema.- Writer
- Director
- Producer
Imtiaz Ali is an Indian film director, actor and writer. In 2005, he made his directorial debut with the film Socha Na Tha. However, it was his second film Jab We Met (2007) that brought him success and fame. His 2009 film Love Aaj Kal gained much critical success, and was declared a super hit at the box office. His movie Rockstar (2011) was also a commercial and critical success. Imtiaz Ali had his origins in Jamshedpur, Jharkhand.He was brought up in Patna and Jamshedpur. He had his early education in Patna- D.B.M.S. English school, Jamshedpur,and later attended University of Delhi in Delhi, where he took part in college theater. He started Ibtida the dramatic society of Hindu College. Thereafter he moved to Mumbai and did a diploma course from Xavier Institute of Communication.- Writer
- Producer
- Director
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 substance as well as style--Ratnam has dealt with a wide variety of topics, from the classic Indian love story to political thrillers.
He was born in Madras in 1956. Filmmaking was in his blood; he was the son of film producer 'Venus Gopalratnam' and his brother was G. Venkateswaran, a film distributor turned producer. Ironically, however, he studied at Madras University and received a management degree at the Jamnalal Bajaj Institute of Management Studies in Mumbai, and had initially started out as a management consultant. His first film, Pallavi Anu Pallavi (1983), starring Anil Kapoor, didn't make many waves, although it won the State Award from Karnataka that year, but even though he made two films in Tamil and one in Malayalam, nothing worked for him until he broke through with Mouna Ragam (1986). Starring Revathi, the film told the tale of a woman who, although forced into an arranged marriage, chooses to maintain a platonic relationship with her husband. The film was noted for its sophisticated approach and execution of an extremely sensitive topic.
His next film, Nayakan (1987), was also arguably his greatest. A take-off on Francis Ford Coppola' legendary The Godfather (1972), it established Ratnam as the leading director of Tamil-language Cinema and won its leading actor Kamal Haasan the National Award for Best Actor. The film draws on 30 years of Tamil Nadu's celebrity images and directly played to the anti-Hindi feelings of Tamil Nadu when the protagonist, beaten up, tells the Hindi policeman in Bombay, "If I ever hit you, you will die!"
Then came the best of his early work - Agni Natchathiram (1988), Geethanjali (1989), and Anjali (1990). The first was a tale of conflict between two step-brothers. Shot with glossy camera work, the film resembled a cross between an advertisement and a music video, and set a trend for a whole new visual style in Tamil-language Cinema. The next, Geethanjali (1989), shot in Ooty to create a soft and poetic mood, was a touching love story between two terminally ill people with less than six months left. The third, Anjali (1990), about a disabled child brought back to her family with two normal children had been chosen by India to be sent to the Oscars for Best Foreign-language Film, but it did not receive a nomination. The next year saw his first, and only collaboration so far, with the Tamil superstar Rajni Kant in the film Thalapathi (1991). It also starred Mamooty, along side a host of other actor. This star studded film was a gritty tale of an orphan who grows up to become a notorious gang member in Chennai. The story was inspired by the great epic of Mahabharata.
It was Roja (1992) that made Ratnam a household name all over India. A patriotic love story set against the backdrop of Kashmiri terrorism, the film was dubbed in Hindi and became a huge national success. It enforced Ratnam as a director of style and substance, as well as proving a highly auspicious debut for the now-acclaimed music director A.R. Rahman, whom Ratnam had discovered. It helped that India's at-the-time election commissioner T. N. Seshan took the rare step of officially endorsing the film. Thiruda Thiruda (1993), a remake of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969) was a misfire, but Ratnam bounced back with Bombay (1995), a politically charged romance between a Hindu man and a Muslim woman during the 1993 riots in Mumbai. The film underwent some controversy due to its slightly anti-Muslim viewpoint, but it contributed widely to the success of the film.
Continuing his political obsession, Ratnam made Iruvar (1997), based on the MGR-Karunanidhi affair, and Dil Se.. (1998), which starred superstars Manisha Koirala and Shah Rukh Khan. The latter was Ratnam's first Hindi-language film. Based on the northeast Indian problem, it told the story of a radio executive and a revolutionary. It had an excellent cast, beautifully crafted scenes, and most of all one of A.R. Rahman's greatest tunes--but did not go down too well with the audience, who hailed it as a strange and confusing film that headed nowhere. However, today it is held as ahead of its time, being that it was shot pre-9/11, and is now hailed as a contemporary classic.
He returned to familiar ground with Alai Payuthey (2000), which tackled the story of a couple in love that goes through the trials and tribulations of marriage. His subsequent film, Kannathil Muthamittal (2002), which told the tale of an adopted girl meeting her terrorist mother, saw Ratnam back in form as one of the greatest storytellers in Indian Cinema. His next film, Yuva (2004), saw Ratnam return to Hindi-language cinema after six years, but in spite of some fine flourishes, the film largely failed to work. However, don't take him too lightly: he is sure to return with something new next time....- Director
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- Producer
Madhur Bhandarkar was born on 26 August 1966 in Bombay, Maharashtra, India. He is a director and writer, known for Chandni Bar (2001), Babli Bouncer (2022) and Page 3 (2005). He has been married to Renu Namboodiri since 15 December 2003. They have one child.- Director
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
- Producer
Milan Luthria was born on 28 January 1968 in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India. He is a director and assistant director, known for The Dirty Picture (2011), Once Upon a Time in Mumbaai (2010) and Tadap (2021).- Director
- Producer
- Writer
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 finishing his schooling, he attended Ramjas College, Delhi University. During his college days, he went on to work as an assistant manager in a restaurant.
Jha was inspired to enter the film industry after he met an art director during the shooting of the film Dharma (1973). Later, he went on to enrol at the Film and Television Institute of India in Pune, Maharashtra, to study filmmaking.
He worked on a biographical film called Sonal (1973) in the 1980s, which explored the life of the dancer Sonal Singh. He made another documentary called Faces After the Storm (1981), which was based on the communal riots of Bihar, India, focusing on the incident where Hindu extremists massacred numerous Muslims. However, the award-winning documentary was banned soon after its release.
In 1984, Jha made his directorial debut with the film Hip Hip Hurray (1984), which revolves around the lives of a group of high school students. The film was critically acclaimed and was featured in a book 40 Retakes: Bollywood Classics You May Have Missed.
He founded a cultural society called Anubhooti in 1991 to work on social issues like health care, disaster management, upliftment of the poor, and much more.
His 2001 film Gangaajal (2003) marked a turning point in his career- renowned actors like Ajay Devgn and Gracy Singh were cast in this film.
Jha has received several awards and accolades for his work in the film industry, like the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Hindi for Damul (1985), the Filmfare Award for Best Screenplay for Apaharan (2005), the apsara award for best dialogue for Aarakshan (2011), etc. He has also achieved great international acclaim for his films like Lipstick Under My Burkha (2016), Parampara (1986), Parinati Parinati (2020) (2020), etc. Lipstick Under My Burkha Lipstick Under My Burkha (2016) (2016) premiered at the Stockholm International Film Festival. Aparahan was the opening film at the Indian Film Festival in Israel.
Jha has also been involved in Indian politics. He started his political career by joining the Janta Dal in the early 1990s. He contested the Lok Sabha elections in 2009 as a Janta Dal candidate from his hometown, Bettiah, in Bihar.- Actor
- Producer
- Director
Rakesh Roshan was born on 6 September 1949 in Bombay, State of Bombay, India. He is an actor and producer, known for Koi... Mil Gaya (2003), Kaho Naa... Pyaar Hai (2000) and Krrish (2006). He is married to Pinky.- Actor
- Writer
- Producer
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, Marathi films, television serials and commercials and although the transition from acting to direction was difficult, it was destined.
His diverse exposure as an actor whetted his appetite to helm a project, taking on the directorial reign for the first time with Pehla Nasha (First Love), a murder mystery in 1993. Though the film did not do very well at the box office, it helped Ashutosh find firm ground as a director. He followed this up with Baazi (The Game), a thriller, in 1995, which enjoyed average success, but led Ashutosh on a journey in search of a better script.
With Lagaan, which released in 2001, Ashutosh veered away from most norms in the making of a mainstream commercial Hindi film - a period drama, set in rural India; it's language a dialect; most of its characters were dressed in loincloths; it included a British cast; it was a musical, and a sports film put together! It was produced by Aamir Khan who also starred in it. Lagaan was nominated at the Academy Awards in the Best Film in a Foreign Language category for 2001 and earned plaudits worldwide for its meticulous execution and evocative performances.
His fourth feature film, Swades, was written, produced and directed by him, starring Shah Rukh Khan. The film released worldwide in 2004 to critical acclaim and attained huge success at the international box office.
February 2008 saw the release of his most ambitious magnum opus Jodhaa Akbar, an epic romance. This brought together two of the most respected actors, Hrithik Roshan and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan. The film won the Best Foreign Film in the International Film Festival of Sao Paulo in Brazil, South America and the Grand Prix Best Film and Best Actor in the International Film Festival Golden Minbar in Kazan, Russia, as well as sweeping all of the Indian Film Awards.
His next film saw him take on a new genre with What's Your Raashee?, being Ashutosh's first romantic comedy, based on the Gujarati novel Kimball Ravenswood by Madhu Rye. The film featured Harman Baweja and Priyanka Chopra.
Khelein Hum Jee Jaan Sey is a period thriller starring Abhishek Bachchan and Deepika Padukone, based on the book 'DO and DIE: The Chittagong Uprising 1930-34' by Manini Chatterjee.
His last release, Mohenjo Daro, set in the Indus Valley Civilization stars Hrithik Roshan and debutant Pooja Hegde along with a stellar supporting cast including Kabir Bedi and Arunoday Singh.
Ashutosh has now engaged in the filming of his newest magnum opus Panipat, which is slated to release on December 6th, 2019. Based on the legendary third battle of Panipat, which took place on 14th January 1761 between the Marathas and King of Afghanistan, Panipat promises to be his grandest outing yet.- Director
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Sudhir Mishra was born on 22 January 1959 in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India. He is a director and writer, known for Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi (2003), Calcutta Mail (2003) and Dharavi (1992).- Sound Department
- Editorial Department
- Director
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 by India's biggest film studio, Yash Raj Films (YRF), was about a team of mismatched female hockey players and gender politics. The film went on to become a critical and box office success in India and worldwide. The film was acknowledged by the Billie Jean King's women's sports foundation.
His third film was "Rocket Singh: Salesman of the Year" chronicled the adventures of a young college graduate forced to deal with business ethics. The film was one of the most acclaimed films of 2009 in India.
He was also a director on the BBC series "A Suitable Boy". In his capacity as an Editor, Shimit has worked on Mira Nair's 2012 award winning film, "The Reluctant Fundamentalist". The film opened the 2012 Venice Film Festival.
Shimit is also a highly acclaimed ad-filmmaker and has directed the Glass Grand Prix award winning campaign for Whisper/P&G "Touch the Pickle". He also worked on an award wining commercial for Ariel's "Share the load" which was lauded by Sheryl Sandberg and Melinda Gates. He has shot successful campaigns for Amazon, Facebook, Whatsapp, Oreo, BMW, VISA and Ford.- Additional Crew
- Actress
- Writer
Farah Khan Kunder is an Indian film director, choreographer, writer, film producer, and actress with an extensive career in Hindi films. Khan studied at St. Teresa's Convent School, Mumbai, and then later studied sociology at St. Xavier's College, Bombay.
Khan's first movie as a choreographer was Kahan Kahan Se Guzar Gaya (1981). She entered mainstream Hindi cinema as a choreographer in Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar (1992) and gained fame with her choreographed song in the movie Virasat (1997), for which she won the Filmfare Award for Best Choreography for the song Dhol Bajne Laga.
Her next two Filmfare Awards for Best Choreography were for Dil Se.. (1998) and Ek Pal Ka Jeena from the film Kaho Naa... Pyaar Hai (2000).
Some of her other award-winning choreographed songs include Bombay Dreams (2004), for which she got nominated for Tony Awards for best choreography, Idhar Chala Main Udhar Chala from the movie Koi... Mil Gaya (2003) for which she won the National Film Award for Best Choreography and Filmfare Award for Best Choreography, Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara (2011) in Tees Maar Khan (2022) for which she won another Filmfare Award for Best Choreography.
As an actress, she starred in Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998), and appeared in a small role in Kal Ho Naa Ho (2003) and Om Shanti Om (2007). After doing a few cameo roles, she was seen as the lead actor in Shirin Farhad Ki Toh Nikal Padi (2012).
Her directorial debut was Main Hoon Na (2004), starring Shah Rukh Khan and Zayed Khan. She then directed Om Shanti Om (2007), Tees Maar Khan (2010), and Happy New Year (2014).
She has appeared as a judge and co-host in several TV serials. She started with Indian Idol (2004), where she was the Judge in Seasons 1, 2, and 7. In 2006, she judged Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa (2006) Season 1.
Then in 2008 and 2015, she also judged another dance show, Nach Baliye (2005) Season 4 and 7. In 2010, she was one of the judges for Dance India Dance: Li'l Masters (2010). In 2012, she did the show India's Got Talent (2009) Season 4 as a Judge.
In 2015, she co-hosted Bigg Boss Halla Bol: Farah Khan Replaces Salman (2015). In 2020, she was the interim host of Khatron Ke Khiladi - Made in India (2020). In 2022, she also hosted The Khatra Show (2019).- Producer
- Director
- Writer
Kabir Khan is presently one of the most sought after Bollywood directors. His beat of cinema is very different from the rest of his league. He comes from documentary style of film making. He is known for his brilliant cinematographic skills. He graduated from Delhi University's Kirori Mal College. He was first noticed for his cinematography in the reputed documentary "Beyond the Himalayas" which released in 1995. The documentary earned significant popularity, and went on to be telecast in Discovery channel too. This movie was directed by the veteran director Gautam Ghose. He made his directorial debut with another famous documentary film "The Forgotten Army" in the year 1999. This documentary was based on Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose's role in the Indian Freedom Struggle and his Azad Hind Fauj, also popularly known as the Indian National Army. In 2001, Kabir Khan came up with his brilliant work in films like "Taliban years and Beyond" and "The Titanic Sinks in Kabul".
His work and interest on the Taliban and Afghanistan was the cue why he made a film like "Kabul Express" for mainstream Bollywood cinema in the year 2006. The movie performed averagely but he was noticed for his obviously nascent cinematic style.
In 2009, he worked on the movie "New York" which dealt with a topic as sensitive as Islam and Terrorism. Set in the backdrop of 9/11, this movie goes on to talk about the other side of the 9/11 story when Americans retaliated to the attack rather ridiculously. The film fared decently at the box-office.
In 2012, he came up with the blockbuster hit of the year so far, "Ek Tha Tiger". The movie stars Salman Khan and Katrina Kaif, and was scheduled for a Eid release which garnered in a great deal of its audience. The movie has been doing very well. The critics have signed off Kabir's previously journalistic style of directing. It seems to have withered away the Bollywood way under the Yash Raj Films Banner. Trade Analysts still confirm he has merely deviated from his style of work but not lost his previous charm at all.- Additional Crew
- Director
- Actor
Remo D'Souza was born on 2 April 1972 in Bengaluru, Karnataka, India. He is a director and actor, known for Bajirao Mastani (2015), Race 3 (2018) and Enthiran (2010). He is married to Lizelle D'Souza.- Actor
- Director
- Writer
Jugal Hansraj was born on 26 July 1972 in Bombay, Maharashtra, India. He is an actor and director, known for Roadside Romeo (2008), Pyaar Impossible (2010) and Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham... (2001). He has been married to Jasmine Dhillon since July 2014.- Actor
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
- Director
Tarun Mansukhani is known for Dostana (2008), Kal Ho Naa Ho (2003) and Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham... (2001).- Writer
- Producer
- Director
Nikkhil Advani was born on 28 April 1971 in Mumbai, Maharahstra, India. He is a writer and producer, known for Kal Ho Naa Ho (2003), P.O.W. Bandi Yuddh Ke (2016) and D-Day (2013).- Director
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
- Writer
Punit Malhotra is known for Kal Ho Naa Ho (2003), Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham... (2001) and I Hate Luv Storys (2010).- Director
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
- Writer
- Writer
- Director
- Producer
Born on 21st May 1966 in Kolkata, Sujoy Ghosh is an Indian film writer, director, actor and producer who is well known for his critically acclaimed movies like Jhankar Beats, Kahaani, Ahalya and Badla.
The film maker started the trend of multiplex movies in Bollywood with his directorial debut Jhankaar Beats in 2003 which went on to become a superhit. Ghosh's mystery thriller film Kahaani which released in the year 2012 was his path-breaking female lead movie for which he bagged many awards including a National Film Award for Best Screenplay and a Filmfare Award for Best Director. In 2016, his film Kahaani 2 was released which is a sequel to Kahaani. With his 15 minuter short film - Ahalya (2015), he started the trend of mainstream directors making digital short films.
His latest crime-thriller Badla, starring Amitabh Bachchan and Taapsee Pannu received a widespread acclaim and emerged as the content film of the year for its nail-biting plot that left the audiences at the edge of their seats till the very last moment. This is his second film with Amitabh Bachchan, first being Aladin and second being the 2016 thriller film Te3n which was produced by Sujoy. Alongside writing and directing films, Sujoy also acts with the Bengali mystery-thriller Satyanweshi (2013) being his debut film as an actor where he played the role of Byomkesh Bakshi.
Not many know but the popular phrase of the IPL team Kolkata Knight Riders - "Korbo Lorbo Jeetbo Re" was penned by Sujoy himself. With the quality driven content in his films, Sujoy Ghosh is one of the leading filmmakers in the country.- Writer
- Director
- Actor
Habib Faisal was born in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India. He is known for Ishaqzaade (2012), Do Dooni Chaar (2010) and Fan (2016).- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
- Director
- Writer
Karan Malhotra was born in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India. He is known for Agneepath (2012), Main Hoon Na (2004) and Shamshera (2022). He is married to Ekta Pathak Malhotra.- Producer
- Writer
- Director
Sajid Nadiadwala is an Indian film producer, story writer, director and owner of Nadiadwala Grandson Entertainment. He is the grandson of proclaimed filmmaker A K Nadiadwala and has carry forwarded the 70 years of legacy of Nadiadwalas in the Indian film industry. From writing and producing films like Housefull (2010), Baaghi (2016) to directing Kick (2014), that brought him various debutant director awards, Sajid Nadiadwala has multiple commercial blockbusters to critically acclaimed films to his name. He's also written the widely acclaimed Marathi film Lai Bhaari that was produced by Riteish Deshmukh. Produced movies like Judwaa 2, Highway, 2 States, Baaghi, Heropanti, Mujhse Shaadi Karogi, Jeet, Baaghi 2,Judwaa, Har Dil Jo Pyaar Karega, Tamasha, Dishoom, Sajid is one of the top independent producers in India.
Sajid Nadiadwala started his career at a very young age, as a production assistant in his uncle's production house before establishing his own production company called "Nadiadwala Grandson Entertainment Pvt Ltd".
In 1992, he produced his first film Zulm Ki Hukumat starring Dharmendra and Govinda. He brought together action stars Akshay Kumar and Suniel Shetty for the first time on big screen with his next, Waqt Hamara Hai (1993). His nest movie was Govinda and Sanjay Dutt starer Andolan(1995). His next production was Salman Khan - Sunny Deol starrer Jeet in 1996 that went on to became a huge hit and popularised Sunny's hook step in the song 'Yaara O Yaara'. His next, starring Salman Khan in a double role, Judwaa, created a benchmark in the actor's life and is recognised as a cult film today. Har Dil Jo Pyar Karega starring Salman Khan, Rani Mukherjee and Preity Zinta (2000) and Mujhse Shaadi Karogi (2004) starring Akshay Kumar, Priyanka Chopra and Salman Khan were the next films he produced under his banner that also went on to become super hits. His next release, the 2007 film Heyy Babyy, starring Akshay Kumar was one of the year's biggest hit wherein he launched director Sajid Khan. His next, 2009 production Kambakkht Ishq, for the very first time in Bollywood included the casting of Hollywood actors and superstars, such as Sylvester Stallone, Denise Richards and Brandon Routh. The film starred Akshay Kumar and Kareena Kapoor in the lead. Nadiadwala described the moment when he signed Sylvestor Stallone for the film as historic since he was so star struck by Sly as he was wondering whether he should get an autograph first or get the contract signed.
His first film of 2010, Housefull held a stellar cast of Akshay Kumar, Ritesh Deshmukh, Deepika Padukone, Lara Dutta, Boman Irani, Arjun Rampal and Randhir Kapoor. The film on release became one of the highest grossers and established Housefull as a successful comedy franchise. On 30 September 2010, he announced a sequel to Housefull that would again star Akshay Kumar in the lead. His next film, a love story, Anjaana Anjaani starring Ranbir Kapoor and Priyanka Chopra released on 1 October 2010 and the music of the film was an overnight success with songs like Tujhe bhula Diya and Aas Paas Hai Khuda becoming all time chart busters. Housefull 2 was released on 5 April 2012 and this franchise film went on to be a huge blockbuster by entering the 100- crore - club, commemorating Nadiadwala Grandson's first 100 crore film. In 2014, Sajid Nadiadwala came out blazing with four successful films including his directorial debut starring close friend Salman Khan, titled Kick, which is one of the All Time Top Grossers in Indian cinema. His first production in the year 2014 was Highway starring Alia Bhatt and Randeep Hooda, directed by Imtiaz Ali was a success at the box office. His decision to green lit film like Highway brought a lot of appreciation from the industry and audience alike. Next was 2 States, the diverse cultural love story starring Alia Bhatt and Arjun Kapoor in lead roles and directed by Abhishek Varman was yet another 100 crore club that catered to the class as well as mass audience. On 23 May 2014, Nadiadwala successfully launched two debutantes Tiger Shroff and Kriti Sanon in lead roles in film Heropanti and has recorded the second highest opening for a movie starring debutantes. The biggest came in when Nadiadwala made his directorial debut with the July 2014 release Kick starring Salman Khan. The film broke all previous Khan records and is one of the Top 100 ALL Time Grossers
Nadiadwala with this film also successfully resurrected Jacqueline Fernandez's Bollywood career and got the actress in the elite A-list league of actors. The chirpy actress is equally enthusiastic about her Judwaa 2 producer, Sajid Nadiadwala, admitting that it was he who noticed her before anyone else, giving her the special appearance in Housefull song, "Dhanno", and then going on to cast her in Housefull 2 and his directorial debut, Kick. "The latter was a risk because I was not getting work at the time but both Nadiad and Salman showed a lot of confidence in me by going ahead with me in Kick. Nadiad then went on to give me Housefull 3, Dishoom and Judwaa 2. "My oldest equation is with him, his wife Wardha is my soul sister and I've watched his kids grow in front of my eyes. I'm in the movies because of him and I'll never forget that. I'll always be there for Nadiad and Salman," she says with complete conviction.
In 2015, Nadiadwala produced Kabir Khan's directorial Phantom starring Saif Ali Khan and Katrina Kaif. The national spy action saga was based on Mumbai Avengers on the aftermath of 26/11 Mumbai attacks and was widely appreciated film. Afghan Jalebi, a song broke records and became the no.1 chart busters. Next was the highly talked film, Tamasha starring ex flame Ranbir Kapoor and Deepika Padukone, directed by Imtiaz Ali. The film grossed 100- Crore worldwide and is received much love and appreciation by the critics. The music album of the film became an instant super hit and is considered one of the top albums of the decade with songs like Matargashti and Agar Tum Saath Ho ruling the charts. In 2016, Sajid Nadiadwala had a yet another successful year, with three back-to-back hits, Baaghi, Housefull 3 and Dishoom. Baaghi, an action adventure film starring his protege Tiger Shroff along with actress Shraddha Kapoor grossed 100 crore worldwide and established Tiger as an unbeatable action hero. The songs of the film became popular in no time. Next from Nadiadwala's banner, came his biggest Housefull franchise, the third installment of Akshay Kumar starrer. Housefull 3, broke box office records and grossed 107 Crore in India. The multi- starrer film will have its sequel coming in Diwali 2019. Nadiadwala announced the fourth installment he said, "Yes, that's right we intend to bring back the entire cast from the earlier Housefull films. Of course Jia Khan is no longer with us. God bless her soul. But all the rest are on.The idea for Housefull 4 came to Nadiadwala in a flash. "I just thought we've seen so many serious intense romantic films on the theme of reincarnation, you know Madhumati, Karz etc...Why not a funny take on punar-janam? That was my idea. I shared it with my story writers. I thought they would take at least a year or two to crack it. But they came up with a terrific plot within no time. So yeah, here we are all set to do a rip-roaring take on reincarnation. We are looking ahead at making the most expensive comedy ever to come from our production house. Housefull 4 will be set in two time zones. One will be in the current times. The other will be set in Baahubali era where all the characters will get into Sajid Nadiadwala's reboot version of his cult classic Judwaa, once again directed by David Dhawan titled Judwaa 2 broke the dry spell running at the box office in 2017. The film was a blockbuster and was this year's first film to have a great run. The film has become Varun Dhawan's highest grossing film so far. Nadiadwala recently released Baaghi 2 starring Tiger Shroff and Disha Patani on March 30, 2018. The film has already crossed the 100 Cr. mark in just 6 days and with this film Tiger Shroff gets his entry in the 100 crore club. The film is a sequel to 2016's super hit film Baaghi that was highly appreciated for its action and also starred Tiger Shroff. The film earlier was slated to release on April 29, but due to the date shifting this year, Nadiadwala preponed the release date of the film. Nadiadwala is the only filmmaker who has preponed the release of his film, whereas everyone has postponed, showing sheer confidence and also announced the third installment of the franchise even before the trailer was out.
Sajid Nadiadwala is the only filmmaker with the highest amount of successful franchise films , he has helmed three parts of Housefull with Akshay Kumar heading the cast and now the fourth part is slated to release on Diwali 2019. Nadiadwala also invested in young star Tiger Shroff, who also debuted under his banner Nadiadwala Grandson Entertainment and made Baaghi, a biggest action franchise film in the industry as the second part of Baaghi has already crossed the 100 crore mark in just 6 days. He is also directing the much awaited Kick sequel that is expected to release on Christmas 2019. Judwaa 2, that has become the highest grossing film of Varun Dhawan was produced by Nadiadwala and directed by David Dhawan who were also the makers of Salman Khan's Judwaa
Nadiadwala is produced Super 30 starring Hrithik Roshan, based on Anand Kumar biopic which released on July 12, 2019. The film marks the first collaboration of these two powerhouses. Sajid Nadiadwala's collaboration with Nitesh Tiwari's next, after Dangal, was a riveting story based on today's generation. The movie titled "Chhichhore" and had names like Sushant Singh Rajput and Shraddha Kapoor. The movie released on 6th September, 2019. The film has won multiple awards and has been applauded by the audience. The fourth sequel to his Housefull starring Akshay Kumar, Ritiesh Deshmukh, Bobby Deol, Kriti Sanon, Pooja Hegde, Kriti Kharbanda, Johnny Lever & Chunky Pandey released in Diwali 2019. The film was touted to be the biggest Housefull ever with a 75 Crore budget, only for its VFX and SX. Sajid Nadiadwala released the 3rd installment of the blockbuster franchise Baaghi starring Tiger Shroff & Shradhha Kapoor on 6th March 2020.
There are various projects which are being helmed under Sajid Nadiadwala's production house. The line-up of films for the next 2 years is already ready and Nadiadwala has blocked the dates for the same. Nadiadwala Grandson Entertainment recently announced Sajid Nadiadwala's most awaited sequel Kick 2. The film will mark Nadiadwala's second directorial project starring Salman Khan. The film will go on floors in December this year.
The filmmaker is all set to launch Ahan Shetty with the Hindi remake of Telegu super hit RX100, directed by Milan Suthria. Akshay Kumar & Sajid Nadiadwala collaborate for the 10th time for Bachchan Pandey starring Akshay Kumar, Kriti Sanon, Jacqueline Fernandez & Arshad Warsi directed by Farhad Samji. The second sequel to Heropanti 2 has also been announced by Sajid Nadiadwala starring Tiger Shroff & Tara Sutaria directed by Ahmed Khan. The film has finished a small schedule in Mumbai. The film is slated for release on 3rd December 2021.
Sajid Nadiadwala has been hailed as the Box Office Badshah by Forbes' India Magazine and he is the only producer in the list of Forbes' Celebrity 100 list.