My Favorite Indian Directors
These are the people who defined Indian Cinema. I consider myself lucky to be born in this country and fortunate enough to experience/enjoy marvelous works done my these gems.
List activity
2.7K views
• 1 this weekCreate a new list
List your movie, TV & celebrity picks.
25 people
- Actor
- Director
- Producer
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 artistic and lyrical content, and they went on to become trend-setters that have influenced Bollywood ever since. But for all his genius, there was a shroud of tragedy that overshadowed his career and life.
Dutt was born in Mysore on July ninth, 1925, the eldest son of a headmaster and a housewife who was a part-time writer. As a child, he had to deal with a strained relationship between his parents, hostility from his mother's family, and the death of a close relative. He received his early education in Calcutta, and in 1941, he joined the Uday Shankar India Culture Center, where he received basic training in the performing arts under dance maestro Uday Shankar. Afterward, in 1944, he had a short stint as a telephone operator.
Dutt entered the Indian film industry in 1944, working as a choreographer in Prabhat Studios. There, he became friends with Dev Anand (whom he met when they worked on the film Hum Ek Hain (1946)) and Rehman Khan. These early friendships helped ease his way into Bollywood. After Prabhat went under in 1947, Dutt moved to Mumbai, where he worked with the leading directors of the time: Amiya Chakrabarty in Girls' School (1949) and Gyan Mukherjee in Sangram (1946).
He got his big break when Dev Anand invited him to direct a film in his newly formed company Navketan Films. Dutt made his directorial debut with Gamble (1951), which starred Dev Anand. The film was an urban crime thriller that paid homage to classic film noir. However, it also carried its own elements that ensured it was not a remake of a Hollywood film: notably, songs were used to further the story's narrative, and close-up shots were used frequently. The film was a success and became a trend-setter for future crime films. On the personal front, Dutt met his wife, playback singer Geeta Dutt (née Roy), during the song-recording sessions of Gamble (1951), and they married May twenty-sixth, 1953.
Dutt's next releases were Jaal (1952) and Baaz (1953). Dutt made his acting debut in the latter film, which he also directed. But while they were average successes, he finally tasted success with Aar-Paar (1954), another crime thriller, but with a far more polished story and look. Then came Mr. & Mrs. '55 (1955), a frothy romantic comedy focusing on women's' rights; and C.I.D. (1956), yet another crime thriller in which Waheeda Rehman made her debut.
His next films, Thirst (1957) and Paper Flowers (1959), are regarded as his best work. Thirst (1957) was his masterpiece, about a poet trying to achieve success in a hypocritical, uncaring world. It was a box-office hit and is ranked as his greatest film ever. In contrast, Paper Flowers (1959) was a miserable flop at the box office: the semi-autobiographical story of a tragic love affair set against the backdrop of the film industry was deemed too morbid for the audience to swallow and went right over audience's heads. Although in later years the film received critical acclaim for its cinematography and has gained a cult following, Dutt, who had put his soul into the film, was devastated over its failure and never directed another film.
Although he had sworn off directing, Dutt continued to produce and act in films, notably the period dramas Chaudhvin Ka Chand (1960) and Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam (1962). The latter film, interestingly, is controversial because it is debated whether Dutt had ghost-directed the film. Dutt's personal life had become complicated: he had gotten romantically involved with his protégé Waheeda Rehman and his wife Geeta Dutt had separated from him as a result. Rehman too had distanced herself from him. Also, Dutt, an ambitious person, felt he had achieved too much too soon professionally - there was nothing better to be achieved, and this caused a vacuum in his life. Unable to cope with all the trauma and emptiness, he took to heavy drinking.
On October tenth, 1964, Dutt was found dead in his bed. The cause of death was deemed a combination of alcohol and sleeping pills, although a debate still lingers over whether his death was by accident or a successful suicide attempt. Geeta Dutt suffered a nervous break-down as a result of his death and also took to alcohol, eventually drinking herself to death, dying in 1972 as a result of cirrhosis of the liver.
His death was an irreplaceable loss to Indian cinema. And it was a tragic twist of fate that his films, most of which were discounted in his life-time, would be regarded as cult classics after his death. Guru Dutt would always be known, even if posthumously, as the Guru of Bollywood's Golden Age and one of the world's most important international auteurs.Baazi, Aar-paar, Pyaasa, Kaagaz ke phool....
This man knew how to narrate stories, how to handle different aspect of real life in movies, how to depict characters and how to create situations very well, at the time when movies in India used to be nothing but family dramas. Guru Dutt's directional skill has always been the inspiration to new film makers over decades.- Writer
- Actor
- Director
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 he was only six, and he along with his other siblings went to live with his eldest brother Chetan and his wife Uma who raised him like their own child. In fact, Uma urged him to write and had a great influence on him. A very literate man, he graduated from St. Xavier's College in Mumbai, where he had wrote several college plays. While still a teenager, he co-wrote the script with his sister-in-law Uma for his filmmaker brother Chetan Anand. The film was "Taxi Driver" (1954) where his other brother Dev Anand played the title role, and it was inspired by the crime thrillers of Hollywood. It was released through their home production company Navketan and became Goldie's first big hit. "Nau Do Gyarah" (1957) was Vijay Anand's directorial debut, which was based on his own script. The film starred his brother Dev Anand and Dev's wife Kalpana Kartik. It became another hit. Goldie showed an exceptional visual style, especially when it came to picturizing song sequences. His next film was the story of a black marketer and his redemption in "Kaala Bazaar" (1960). The film starred his brother Dev again, along with Waheeda Rehman, who became a regular heroine for most of Navketan films during that era. This was also the only film where all three brothers (Chetan, Dev, and Vijay Anand) acted together. "Tere Ghar ke Saamne" (1963) with Dev Anand and Nutan was a romantic comedy that became another hit. Goldie also wrote the screenplay for "Hum Dono" (1961) and supposedly ghost-directed the film as well. His masterpiece as a filmmaker came with "Guide" (1965). Based on RK. Narayan's novel The Guide, the film is unforgettable for its bold themes about how a man (Dev Anand) and woman (Waheeda Rehman) live together outside the sanctity of a marriage. Composer S.D. Burman's songs were given stunning visuals. The film became a huge hit and won several major awards, including two Filmfare Awards for Vijay himself for directing and for writing the dialogue for the film. With Guide, Vijay Anand became the Hindi film industry's big star filmmaker. He was a visionary, a genius who could make intellectually stimulating films that could also generate profits and win industry awards. His next film also brought him everlasting glory. He directed and edited "Teesri Manzil" (1966) for producer and writer Nasir Husain. The film starred Shammi Kapoor and Asha Parekh and gave composer R.D. Burman (S.D. Burman's son) his first major success. The film's suspenseful story, combined with the stars' romantic chemistry, and Burman's trendsetting songs, made it into another box office smash and a perpetual favorite among moviegoers. Vijay Anand was at the pinnacle of his fame, when he went back to Navketan to direct the hit film "Jewel Thief" (1967). But there was a wrinkle. He found his "Jewel Thief" leading lady Vyjayantimala to be a distracted diva, especially after he enjoyed the professionalism and dedication of his previous leading ladies Nutan, Waheeda Rehman and Asha Parekh. Nevertheless, Vyjayantimala gave a heartfelt and polished performance in "Jewel Thief," and it seemed like Vijay Anand can do no wrong. But his next film proved otherwise. After three hit films in a row (Guide, Teesri Manzil, Jewel Thief), Vijay Anand experienced his first flop. Initially, "Kahin Aurchal" (1968) had the makings of a hit, as it starred Dev Anand and Asha Parekh, who were both top box office draws in 1968, along with music composers Shanker-Jaikishen. But the film's financier Tolaram Jalan wanted a flop film to adjust his income taxes, and so he took the film from Vijay Anand and released it in a single matinée show and then pulled it. This experience pained the filmmaker, especially since the film never resurfaced again. He bounced back with "Johnny Mera Naam" (1970), which grabbed the top stop at the box office in 1970. It starred Dev Anand and Hema Malini. Vijay Anand won two Filmfare Awards, one for editing and the other one for his screenplay, but his professional accomplishment was tempered by a personal loss, since his father had just passed away. He then directed "Tere Mere Sapne" (1971) based on the A.J. Cronin's novel "The Citadel." He also played a supporting role as an alcoholic doctor. While, the film became his personal favorite, it wasn't a major success at the box office and became a turning point in his career. His subsequent films like "Blackmail" (1973), "Chhupa Rustom" (1973), "Bullet" (1976) were major disappointments. Also, Dev Anand was establishing himself as his own director, so Goldie wasn't getting many directing opportunities at Navketan. Furthermore, he was going through personal problems, as he married his much younger relative in 1978 and turned to a spiritual leader Godman Rajneesh. He did return to directing films with multi-starrers like Ram Balram (1980) and Rajput (1982) but filming took a long time, because of the stars' busy schedules and Anand felt he made too many compromises. He still made occasional films, such as Hum Rahe Na Hum (1984) and Main Tere Liye (1988) but these films lacked the famous Vijay Anand style and weren't hits.
Vijay Anand also acted in films for other directors, such as Double Cross (1973) and Ghungroo ki Awaaz (1980). Waheeda Rehman and Rakhee proclaimed him to be an genius filmmaker but also told the press that his acting skills paled in comparison to his directing skills. He acted in two major hit films, Kora Kagaz(1974) and Main Tulsi Tere Aangan ki (1978), but in both instances his acting was overshadowed by his leading ladies, Jaya Bhaduri and Nutan, who both won Filmfare Awards in the Best Actress category. In the early 1990s, he was seen in the television serial Tehqiqaat playing Sam the Detective. In 1997, his older brother Chetan Anand's death devastated him. In 2001, he took over as the new censor board chief after Asha Parekh finished out her controversial three year term. Earlier, she hadn't given clearance to his nephew Shekar Kapur's film "Elizabeth" (1998) and several film industry insiders expected some tension between them, especially after Parekh admitted that she and Anand didn't see eye-to-eye on policing adult films. But she invited him to her sixtieth birthday celebration in 2002, and they both celebrated the occasion as old friends and colleagues. Anand was in the process of making another film with brother Dev Anand, when he died on February 23, 2004 due to a heart attack. He left behind his wife, Sushma and son Vaibhav, an aspiring filmmaker. His grief-stricken older brother Dev Anand wept openly at the funeral.Nau do gyarah, Guide, Teesri Manzeel, Tere ghar ke saamne, Jewel Thief, Johny mera naam, Tere mere sapane.....
Indian cinema will always be thankful to One and only Dev Anand for this jewel. Viay Anand had style, mind-blowing presentation skill and of course Dev Anand.- Director
- Cinematographer
- Producer
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 career, including eleven Filmfare Awards, two National Film Awards, and the International Prize of the Cannes Film Festival. Madhumati won 9 Filmfare Awards in 1958, a record held for 37 years.Madhumati, Bandini, Do beegha jameen, Devdas....
Bimal Roy was awesome, period.- Actor
- Producer
- Director
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 production, Barsaat (1949), was a smash hit. In 1951, he also produced, directed and starred in Awaara (1951), which was another megahit, and costarred Nargis, who had appeared in Aag and Barsaat. Awaara also gained popular acclaim in Russia, where the movie and songs were dubbed into Russian. The theme song, Awaara Hoon, was popular in the East for many years. Kapoor has been dubbed "a great showman," and a filmmaker in the purest Romantic tradition, as he strove to entertain as well as address social themes close to his heart. Awaara dealt with the question of what forms an individual's moral grounding, ("nurture or nature") while incorporating comedy and stirring love scenes; in Shree 420 (1955) he addressed issues of poverty, unemployment and national pride in the new Indian state at the same time maintaining the audience's interest in the romantic plot. While never revolutionary in tone, many of his films explore the ability of the individual to overcome economic and environmental injustice while maintaining his/her innocence and integrity. He is quoted as believing that the individual's struggles ultimately lead to the desire for love, to care and be cared for. This is consistent with his admiration of Charles Chaplin, and Kapoor's own "tramp" (Awaara, Shree 420, Mera Naam Joker (1970) is modeled somewhat on his mentor, though with a definite individual flair.
His films demonstrate an understanding of music and direction that continue to influence Bollywood filmmaking today. Also a musician, his understanding of the musical feel of his movies gives them a storytelling fluidity equal to that of the best American movie musicals. He surrounded himself with the foremost talents in filmmaking, acting, writing (Kwaja Ahmad Abbas'), music composition (Jaikishan Dayabhai Panchal, 'Shankarsinh Raguwanshi'), and playback singers, including Mukesh, 'Mohamed Rafi', and Lata Mangeshkar. Kapoor continued to make films of varying critical and popular success up until his death in 1988, and apparently considered Mera Naam Joker his personal favorite. He is still a well-known name not only in India, but in the Middle East, SE Asia, and Eastern Europe. His descendants have attempted to continue the RK Films banner.Great actor. Original showman. Had given best songs to India through his movies. Raj Kapoor has always been considered as one of the best directors in the world. Been pioneer for many things in India. Had his own studio.- Director
- Writer
- Actor
Gajendra Vitthal Ahire was born on 16 February 1969 in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India. He is a director and writer, known for Pimpal (2017), Bayo (2006) and Saajinde (2021). He is married to Vrinda Ahire.Marathi Industry's Milestone. Also referred as Marathi Cinema's Ram Gopal Varma.- Director
- Producer
- Actor
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 Bollywood actress.50 Great movies in 50 Years of career. Enough Said.- Director
- Producer
- Actor
Mehboob Khan was born on 9 September 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 28 May 1964 in Bombay, Maharashtra, India.Mother India, Aan, Andaj, Anmol Ghadi, Anokhi Ada and many more classics.....
Mehboob Khan was helped by Govt. of India to build his own studio, so he can continue serving Indian cinema with ease. How many directors have been given this kind of respect in the world, by their governments?- Director
- Editor
- Writer
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 assistant director to Bimal Roy, another great director himself. His first directorial venture, Musafir (1957), centering on an old house where three unrelated stories dealing with birth, marriage and death occur in a series, was a disaster. But director Raj Kapoor was impressed and strongly recommended Hrishida as director for Anari (1959). Starring Kapoor himself and Nutan, the film was a critical and commercial success.
His next film, Anuradha (1960), about an idealistic doctor who neglects his wife to focus on his work, got him the President's Medal Award. But from then on throughout the 1960s decade, none of Hrishida films were particularly distinguishable, barring Asli-Naqli (1962), a Muslim melodrama; Anupama (1966), which was based on a true incident; Aashirwad (1968), a family drama; and Satyakam (1969), about an idealist seeing his dreams crumble after Indian independence.
Then Hrishida made what is considered his masterpiece - Anand (1971). This classic film gave a complex but compassionate look at the balance between hope, fear, life and death and saw Rajesh Khanna's greatest performance as a terminally ill man who wishes to live life to the full before he dies. It was an auspicious beginning to the 1970s, for that time proved to be an exceptionally good time for Hrishida as he gave the public excellent films like Guddi (1971), a semi-satiric look at the film industry and generally considered as Jaya Bhaduri's debut film; Abhimaan (1973), the Bachchans' greatest ever performance together; and Chupke Chupke (1975), a comedy about a newlywed professor's joke on his pompous brother-in-law. These films gave an extremely skilled and detailed look at the middle-class mentality.
Few people understood human nature as well as Hrishida - in all his films he examined their aspects, particularly their failings and foibles and the outworn values people always seem to hold on to. However in the 1980s, the advent of the superstar Amitabh Bachchan and of larger-than-life films saw Hrishida's brand of filmmaking die out. Recently he attempted a comeback with _Jhooth Bole Kauwa Kaate (1999)_, but sadly it was a futile effort as the film was a commercial and critical failure. However, the magic of his films still lingers after three decades, and he will be best remembered for his film Anand (1971), which told that people who die but remain in heart and mind do not die, but become immortal. No one justifies this truth more than Hrishida.Made evergreen movies. Indian Cinema's one of the best import of Bengal...- Director
- Producer
- Writer
Shyam Benegal was born on 14 December 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.Pioneer of Parallel Cinema in India. Shyam Benegal is not a person, its a movement, a revolution.- 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.Ghayal, Damini, Ghatak - Only person in Indian Cinema to utilize Sunny Deol's potential properly.
Directer of two best comic movies ever.
Still active and still best.- Director
- Writer
- Producer
Mukul Anand was born on 11 October 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 7 September 1997 in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India.Agneepath, Hum, Khuda-Gawah and 10 others. What many directors couldn't do in decades, he did within 13 years. Early death. But did make a dent in the universe.- Director
- Producer
- Writer
Shakti Samanta was born on 13 January 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 9 April 2009 in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India.Wide span of 57 years in Indian Cinema. Variety movies and marvelous works. Shakti Samanta is a legend.- Director
- Music Department
- Producer
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 talent, and history was created. Mehra started his career and life, literally from scratch, after running away from his home and village, landing up in the city of Bombay In early 1950's. As a kid, aiming for the stars, with just 13 rupees in his pocket, he began his new life, sleeping hungry on railway stations, being his first address in the city of dreams. Destiny and perseverance, guided him to the sets of Hindi cinema, where he began by observing from the sidelines, whilst doing odd jobs, starting from serving tea to the stars, then getting a chance to become a production controller, then an assistant and so on. Mehra who was never formally educated beyond grade 5, in his village school, somehow always had a knack of writing in his broken words and especially penning down his emotions, backed by years of painful experiences of an orphan child who had lost both his parents, (mother who died when he was 5, father abandoned him when he was 8) and grew up on the mean streets. As luck would have it, Mehra's creativity and hard work was not going unrecognized by his peers and seniors, who spread the positive word, finally getting him a break that turned his fortunes in 1968, when he got his directorial debut with Haseena Maan Jayegi starring Shashi Kapoor and Babita. The film which along with its music, became a huge box office money spinner, steered him on to the path of success from where there was no looking back. From here on, he went on to direct Mela (1971), which became a silver jubilee, starring Feroz and Sanjay Khan, followed by another very successful venture, Samadhi (1972), starring Dharmendra, Asha Parekh and Jaya Bhaduri. It was after the success of "Samadhi", that destiny again played a huge hand through a series of events, that lead to a phenomenal collaboration of a director and actor, the likes of which was never seen before in the history of Indian cinema, the Mehra, Bachchan collaboration. In May of 1973, with everything mortgaged, including his home and wife's jewelry, facing the very real possibility of returning to the streets, as it was also the debut of his production house "Prakash Mehra Productions", Mehra released "Zanjeer".
The idea was that "Zanjeer", originally was to be made with Dharmendra as the lead star, after the success of "Samadhi". Dharmendra being the top super star at the time, opted out due to date constraints. This sent Mehra on the quest to find a replacement, and the expectations of the distributors of the time was, that a super star must be replaced by a super star, but fate would have none of it. One by one, due to some reason or the other, it just didn't workout with any of the top stars of the time. Then one fine day, Mehra received a call from the legendary actor "Pran", who Mehra not only respected as a senior and guide, but also genuinely loved and admired, fondly addressing him as "Pran sahab". Pran, asked Mehra, to check out a new kid on the block, whom he felt had talent, his name was Amitabh, also offered to accompany Mehra to a nearby theatre (Ambar Oscar) to watch his latest film, starring the great Mehmood in the lead. The two went on their way to watch the film. The wheels of fortune were set in motion, destiny through the guidance of a blessed soul "Pran", just introduced its super brilliant diamond in the rough, to its super brilliant jeweler with a keen eye. Talent was introduced to talent, Prakash Mehra was just introduced to Amitabh Bachchan.
Upon the announcement of the new hero of Zanjeer, every distributor dropped the film, none would want it. Trade pundits wrote the obituary of Mehra's career, from their point of view, not only was Bachchan, not a star, but a total disaster. Not only that, there wasn't even one song in the film, where the lead hero would sing or dance, this was not only unheard of but almost incomprehensible at the time. Mehra was dubbed senile.
From Mehra's point of view, there was no other star, and this is exactly how the film would be.. This also being the launch of his production house, Mehra had only 2 choices, all or nothing. It was the easiest choice he made, the jeweler knew the value of his diamond. He went all in, he released Zanjeer, with his own money on the line, in most of the major territories.
The movie had an abysmal opening, empty theaters the first few days, Mehra would sit on the wall of Worli sea face in those days and contemplate, "now what"?. Bachchan suffered from a high fever, staring at oblivion himself. Then week two onwards, the phone at Mehra's small office, started ringing, it was calls from exhibitors from Calcutta, it was a phenomenon they had never seen before, there were lines longer than trains at the box office. The same story repeated in various other territories of India, cash registers at the box office went ballistic. Fortune smiled upon the little orphan kid from Bijnor. History was created, and the superstar of the millennium was born.
Thereafter Prakash Mehra and Amitabh Bachchan began a journey, which resulted in 6 more, massive blockbuster hits: Hera Pheri, Khoon Pasina, Muqaddar Ka Sikandar, Laawaris, Namak Halaal and Sharaabi.
Prakash Mehra was aided In creating cinema history by some of the best talent as part of his team. His blockbusters were a collaboration of super talents and legends of the time, such as music maestro duo "Kalyanji Anandji", who's music compositions are untouchable till date. Lyricists such as the great Anjaan. Mehra himself a powerhouse of writing talent, penning many of his super hit songs, such as "Apni toh jaise taise" from Laawaris, etc.. Later addition, the one and only Bappi Lahiri, who became a permanent part of Mehra's team after giving some of the best chart buster music, in Namak Halal, followed by Sharaabi. The fantastic writing duo Salim Javed were the writers of Mehra's Zanjeer. The super talented Kader Khan, wrote some of the most phenomenal dialogues of Muqaddar ka Sikandar.
Apart from being work colleagues and peers, whom he greatly respected, he considered the late great Amjad Khan as one of his best friends and like family. Same was his relationship with late great Pran, legend Raj Kapoor, music maestro duo Kalyanji Anandji, and Bappi Lahiri amongst others.
The final collaboration between Mehra and Bachchan was Jaadugar, which bombed at the box office and ended their untouchable successful streak, bringing an end to an era of a collaboration, the likes of which were never seen before or since.
Prakash Mehra, went on to Produce and Direct "Zindagi Ek Juaa" starring Anil Kapoor and Madhuri Dixit in 1991, in 1993 produced Dalal, directed by Partho Ghosh, Starring Mithun Chakraborty in two languages, Bengali and Hindi, along with its music by Bappi Lahiri, it was a huge box office success.
Mehra received a lifetime achievement award from the India Motion Picture Directors Association (IMPDA) in 2006. He also received Lifetime Achievement as Producer from IMPPA (Indian Motion Picture Producers Association) on 19 September 2008.
Mr Prakash Mehra passed away on the 17th of May 2009, from complications arising out of pneumonia followed by multiple organ failure at Mumbai's Kokilaben hospital.Janjeer, Mukaddar ka sikandar, Lawaris, Sharaabi......
He created and nurtured Amitabh Bachchhan's career.- Music Department
- Writer
- Director
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 after the partition during independence as a poet. He joined Bimal Roy Productions in 1961 and got his first break as a lyricist writing for Bimal Roy's Bandini (1963). The success of this film made him Bimalda's full-time assistant and got him writing for films by acclaimed directors like Hrishikesh Mukherjee and Asit Kumar Sen. Some of the films he has written include Anand (1971), Guddi (1971), Bawarchi (1972), and Namak Haraam (1973) for Mukherjee; and Do Dooni Char (1968), Khamoshi (1969), and Safar (1970) for Sen.
Gulzar made his directorial debut with Mere Apne (1971). Based on Tapan Sinha's "Apanjan," the film looks at an old woman (played by Meena Kumari) caught between two street gangs of unemployed and frustrated youths. He then went on to make Parichay (1972) (loosely based on The Sound of Music (1965)) and Koshish (1972), which gave a superb look at the trials of a deaf and dumb couple (played by Jaya Bachchan and Sanjeev Kumar). From this film came a mutually beneficial partnership with Kumar, which resulted in fine films like The Season (1975), Angoor (1982)Namkeen (1982), and the classic film Aandhi (1975), which had been banned for a while. However, Gulzar didn't always depend on Sanjeev Kumar: the stars of the time, such as Jeetendra, Vinod Khanna, and Hema Malini, worked with him in unglamorous roles and gave some of their best and introspective performances in films like Achanak (1973), Khushboo (1975), and Kinara (1977).
Musically, Gulzar was unbeatable. Being a lyricist and collaborating with film composers, he always had a high quality of music in his films, especially with Rahul Dev Burman. And while Burman became a pop icon with his tunes from Procession of Memories (1973) and Hum Kisise Kum Naheen (1977), he also gave Gulzar classic pieces with which to work in Khushboo (1975) and Permission (1987).
Sadly, the 1980s and 1990s saw a decline in Gulzar the director, and although films such as Lekin... (1990) and Maachis (1996) had their moments, his last film to date, Hu Tu Tu (1999), was a misfire. However, he tried his hand at television with the much acclaimed television film Mirza Ghalib (1988). Made about the poet's life and starring Naseeruddin Shah in the title role, the serial was a landmark in Indian Television. Gulzar has also directed documentaries on Amjad Khan and Pandit Bhimsen Joshi as well as "Shaira," a film based on Meena Kumari. He has also turned his creativity into other channels--he has written screenplays for films like Masoom (1983) and Rudaali (1993), and has written the lyrics for films like Dil Se.. (1998) and Saathiya (2002).Great poet, writer and director. Gulzar used cinema as a medium to portray problems of people, daily life and yes, Politics.- Director
- Actor
- Producer
Shekhar Kapur was born on 6 December 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.Nephew of Vijay Anand. Director of Elizabeth, Bandit Queen, Mr. India and Masoom. Inspired from his uncle, but mastered his own style.- 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....Waqt, Deewar, Trishul, Kaala Patthar, Mashal, Chandni, Lamhe, Darr....
Best director once. Produces *beep* movies now.- Producer
- Director
- Writer
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 regard in the world film fraternity.
B.R. Chopra was born in Lahore, 1914, to an accountant in the PWD administration of the British Punjab administration. After graduating, he did his M.A. degree in English Literature from Lahore University. . Having a deep-rooted fascination for films, he switched over from a higher education to film journalism, surprising his family. He began his celluloid career writing and editing film reviews for the Cine Herald journal.
When the partition of India occurred in 1947, B.R. became a victim of communal riots. His house having been burnt down, he migrated to Bombay to live up to his dreams. In 1949, he produced his first film Karwat (1949). Unfortunately, it turned out to be a flop. In 1951, he tried again as the producer and director of the film Afsana (1951) and hit gold. His movie, a tale of mistaken identity with Ashok Kumar in a double role, was a runaway hit and went on to celebrate its silver jubilee.
Encouraged by this success, B.R. formed his production company, B.R. Films, in 1955, and started off on a roll with the release of Ek-Hi-Rasta (1956), a drama about widow remarriage. He churned out a string of successful films, the most notable being Naya Daur (1957), Sadhna (1958), Kanoon (1960), Gumrah (1963) and Hamraaz (1967). He also gave his younger brother, Yash Chopra, his first directorial opportunity with the box-office hit Dhool Ka Phool (1959) and in the subsequent years Yash made four more films for B.R., including Waqt (1965) and Ittefaq (1969).
B.R. has always endeavored to make socially relevant films, which at the same time try to cater to popular sentiment. For instance, Naya Daur (1957) told the story of a traditional rural community threatened with modernism and mechanism; B.R. perceives mechanism as evil and has the protagonist, a horse carriage rider, defeat an automobile in a race! B.R. has also made films that were regarded as ahead of their time - Kanoon (1960) was a courtroom drama without any songs at all (music being essential of all Hindi films, this was a novel technique); _Gumrah (1963)_qv told the tale of a woman resuming her affair after marriage; and Ittefaq (1969) showed the heroine as a murderess of her own husband!
B.R. continued to make films into the 1970s and 1980s, and met success with Insaf Ka Tarazu (1980), focusing on the issue of rape, and Nikaah (1982), a Muslim love triangle. His son Ravi did try to keep the banner going but none of the films did well except for Aaj Ki Awaz (1984), another courtroom tale, and the family epic Baghban (2003). However, B.R. Films turned to television in 1985 and made several successful television programs, the most successful of the being the serial Mahabharat (1988), based on the Hindu epic. Perhaps the most popular serial in the history of Indian cinema, it entered the Guinness Book of World Records by registering 96% world viewer ship. In 1999, B.R. was awarded the Dadasaheb Phalke Award for his contribution to Indian Cinema.
It was another triumph for the movie mogul...Naya daur, Gumraah, Humraaz.....
Directed classic masterpieces.- 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.Inspired by Guru Dutt. Six movies in 15 years, yet considered best director of last two decades.- 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'.If you don't know Ram Gopal Varma, You don't know anything about Indian Cinema.- 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....The Great- Producer
- Writer
- Director
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.- 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.- Composer
- Writer
- 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).- Director
- Writer
- Music Department
Dibakar Banerjee was born on 21 June 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).- 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.