My Favourite Indian Directors

1. Zoya Akhtar

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 ...

2. Rajkumar Hirani

Writer | PK

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

3. Anurag Kashyap

Producer | Gangs of Wasseypur

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

4. Dibakar Banerjee

Director | Detective Byomkesh Bakshy!

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

5. Vikramaditya Motwane

Director | Udaan

Vikramaditya Motwane is a writer, director and producer (unfortunately not always in that order) and a partner in Phantom Films with Anurag Kashyap, Vikas Bahl and Madhu Mantena. His directorial debut Udaan (2010) was selected to compete in the 'Un Certain Regard' category at the 2010 Cannes Film ...

6. Kiran Rao

Producer | Dangal

Kiran Rao graduated with an economics major from the Sophia College for Women (Mumbai) in 1995. She also received her Masters at AJK Mass Communication Research Center at Jamia Millia Islamia University, New Delhi.

Kiran Rao started her career as an assistant director in 2001. She met actor Aamir ...

7. Vishal Bhardwaj

Composer | Haider

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

8. Imtiaz Ali

Writer | Jab We Met

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 ...

9. Anurag Basu

Director | Ludo

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 ...

10. Sanjay Leela Bhansali

Producer | Bajirao Mastani

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

11. Aditya Chopra

Writer | Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge

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

12. Shimit Amin

Director | Chak De! India

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

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

13. Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra

Producer | Rang De Basanti

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

14. Ashutosh Gowariker

Writer | Swades: We, the People

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

15. Gauri Shinde

Director | English Vinglish

Gauri Shinde was born on July 6, 1974 in Pune, Maharashtra, India. She is a director and writer, known for English Vinglish (2012), Dear Zindagi (2016) and Chup (2022).

16. Neeraj Pandey

Writer | A Wednesday

Neeraj Pandey (born 17 December 1973) is an acclaimed Indian film director, producer and screenwriter. In his first movie A Wednesday, his work was largely praised by audiences as well as the critics. A Wednesday also won many awards in different categories. His second film Special 26 (2013) was ...

17. Shoojit Sircar

Director | Piku

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...

18. Abhishek Kapoor

Director | Kai po che!

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 ...

19. Ayan Mukerji

Director | Brahmastra Part One: Shiva

Ayan Mukerji was born on August 15, 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).

20. Vetrimaaran

Writer | Asuran

Vetrimaaran is an Indian film director, screenwriter and film producer, who works in the Tamil film industry. Vetrimaaran made his directorial debut with the Polladhavan. His second feature film Aadukalam won six National Film Awards. He produces films under his production company, Grass Root Film ...

21. Bala

Writer | Sethu

Bala was born on July 11, 1966 in Theni, Tamil Nadu, India. He is a writer and director, known for Sethu (1999), Paradesi (2013) and Naan Kadavul (2009). He is married to Muthumalar.

22. Suseenthiran

Director | Naan Mahaan Alla

Suseenthiran was born on March 31, 1978 in Palani, Tamil Nadu, India. He is a director and writer, known for Naan Mahaan Alla (2010), Azhagarsamy's Horse (2011) and Vennila Kabadi Kuzhu (2009). He is married to Renuka Devi.

23. Vasanthabalan

Director | Angadi Theru

Vasanthabalan is an Indian Tamil film director and screenwriter.He has made critically acclaimed films including Veyil (2006), Angadi Theru (2010) and Kaaviya Thalaivan (2014).Vasanthabalan began his film career as an editing assistant and later became an assistant director to S.Shankar in the ...

24. K.V. Anand

Writer | Ayan

K.V. Anand was born on October 30, 1966 in Madras, India. He was a cinematographer and writer, known for Ayan (2009), Maattrraan (2012) and Ko (2011). He died on April 30, 2021 in Chennai, India.

25. Mysskin

Writer | Anjathe

Mysskin is an Indian film director and screenwriter. He made his directorial debut in 2006 with Chithiram Pesuthadi. His other directorials Anjathe and Nandalala received high critical acclaim. He has also proved his acting skills by starring as a mentally challenged person in Nandalala.

Mysskin ...

26. Venkat Prabhu

Director | Maanaadu

Venkat Prabhu is the son of director and music director Gangai Amaran. Venkat Prabhu started his career as a singer in the film industry and later became an actor, acting in character roles rather than in the lead. He hogged the spotlight for the first time when he turned director with the summer ...

27. K. Selvaraghavan

Writer | Aayirathil Oruvan

Selvaraghavan is an Indian movie director, actor, and screenwriter who predominantly works in the Tamil film industry. He has directed numerous genre films, from romantic to science fiction and fantasy; he has done it all. He also owns a production company named White Elephants, along with Yuvan ...

28. A.R. Murugadoss

Writer | Ghajini

Murugadoss Arunasalam, commonly known by his stage name AR Murugadoss, is an Indian film director, producer, and screenwriter who predominantly works in the Tamil Film Industry. He is best known for his action Tamil films and Telugu films and for remaking them in Hindi cinema. Murugadoss won the ...

29. Gautham Vasudev Menon

Actor | Vaaranam Aayiram

Gautham Vasudev Menon (born 25 February 1973), also known as GVM, is an Indian film director, screenwriter and producer who predominantly works in Tamil cinema. He has also directed Telugu and Hindi films, which are remakes of his own Tamil films. Many of his films have been critically acclaimed, ...

30. S. Shankar

Writer | Enthiran

Shankar is an Indian film director and producer who works mainly in Tamil cinema. He started his career as an assistant director to SA Chandrasekar and now he is the highest paid director in the country. He made his debut in Gentleman (1993) and since 2015 he has directed 12 movies. He won the ...

31. Mani Ratnam

Writer | Dil Se..

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

32. Ram

Director | Peranbu

Ram was born on October 11, 1974 in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India. He is a director and writer, known for Peranbu (2018), Thanga Meengal (2013) and Taramani (2017).

33. Balaji Sakthivel

Writer | Vazhakku Enn 18/9

Balaji Sakthivel began as an assistant director of popular director S. Shankar. In 2002, he directed his first film, Samurai for Vikram - however despite receiving positive reviews, did not make it big at the box-office. After a two-year break, he released Kaadhal under the S Pictures banner, the ...

34. Ameer Sultan

Writer | Paruthiveeran

Ameer Sultan was born on December 5, 1967 in Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India. He is an actor and writer, known for Paruthiveeran (2007), Vada Chennai (2018) and Raam (2005).

35. Satyajit Ray

Writer | Pather Panchali

Satyajit Ray was born in Calcutta on May 2, 1921. His father, Late Sukumar Ray was an eminent poet and writer in the history of Bengali literature. In 1940, after receiving his degree in science and economics from Calcutta University, he attended Tagore's Viswa-Bharati University. His first movie ...

36. S.S. Rajamouli

Writer | Bãhubali 2: The Conclusion

S.S.Rajamouli is an Indian filmmaker who primarily works in Telugu cinema. He is one of the most celebrated filmmakers ever of the Indian film industry and pioneered the Pan-Indian films movement. Rajamouli was born in a Telugu family to V. Vijayendra Prasad and Raja Nandini. Both his parents hail ...

37. Sekhar Kammula

Writer | Happy Days

Sekhar Kammula was born on February 4, 1972 in Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India. He is a writer and director, known for Happy Days (2007), Anand (2004) and Love Story (2021). He is married to Srividya Kammula.

38. Trivikram Srinivas

Writer | Ala Vaikunthapurramuloo

Trivikram Srinivas is an Indian screenwriter and director famous for his works in Telugu Cinema. Hailed by his admirers as "Guruji" and "Maatala Maanthrikudu" or the "Wizard of Words", he is famous for his witty and thought provoking dialogues. Born as Akella Naga Srinivasa Sarma, he started his ...

39. Radha Krishna Jagarlamudi

Writer | Kanche

Radha Krishna Jagarlamudi was born on November 10, 1978 in Guntur, Andhra Pradesh, India. He is a writer and director, known for Kanche (2015), Gabbar Is Back (2015) and Vedam (2010).

40. Sukumar

Writer | Pushpa: The Rise - Part 1

Bandreddi Sukumar, popularly known as Sukumar, is a screenwriter, film director, and producer of Telugu films.

Sukumar was born to Tirupathi Rao Naidu, a rice trader, and Veera Veni, a homemaker. He studied at a Zilla Parishad High School in Razole in Andhra Pradesh. He went on to complete his ...