Best Directors in Tamil
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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....- Actor
- Writer
- Director
S. Justin Selvaraj was his name, but he started using S.J. Suryah after beginning his Tamil film industry career.
Suryah completed his schooling in Vasudevanallur, a town located in the southern part of Tamil Nadu. He completed his graduation in Physics at Loyola College in Chennai.
After completing his education, Suryah stayed back in Chennai to try his luck in the Tamil film industry. To sustain himself, he started doing odd jobs, such as working as a steward and cashier in hotels.
During this phase of his life, he used to work for eight hours in hotels and utilised the remaining hours to meet directors and gain knowledge about directing films.
After struggling for six years, he received the opportunity to work in a Bhagyaraja film as an apprentice. Before directing his first film, he worked as an assistant director in films like Aasai (1995) and Sundara Purushan (1996).
Suryah debuted as a director with Vaalee (1999), a romantic psychological thriller with Ajith Kumar, Simran, and Jyotika playing the lead roles. The film became a hit at the box office.
Suryah went on to hone his skills as a director with Kushi (2000), a romantic comedy film starring Kushi (2000) and Kushi (2000). This film also proved to be a commercially successful venture, and it was remade in Hindi, Telugu, and Kannada. Suryah directed the Hindi and Telugu versions of the film as well.
In 2004, Suryah made his debut as an actor with his third directorial venture, New (2004). It was a science fiction comedy film with Simran playing the female lead opposite him. He simultaneously directed the Telugu version of the film Naani (2004), with Mahesh Babu and Ameesha Patel as the leading pair.
Suryah's next movie was Ah Aah: Anbe Aaruyire (2005), in which he paired up with newcomer Meera Chopra. He was also the writer, director, and producer of the film.
For the next few years, Suryah concentrated on his acting career. He acted in films like Kalvanin Kadhali (2006), Thirumagan (2007), Vyabari (2007), and Newtonin Moondram Vidhi (2009).
In 2010, he made his comeback as a director with Komaram Puli (2010), an action thriller with Pawan Kalyan in the lead role. His next film as a director was Isai (2015), and he also played the lead role in this movie.
After some guest appearances, Suryah acted in a full-fledged role in Iraivi (2016). The following year, he played a negative role in Spyder (2017) and Mersal (2017).
Suryah won the best villain award for his role in Spyder (2017) at the 10th Vijay Awards, held in 2018. While the film grossed more than INR 100 crores worldwide, it wasn't considered a profitable venture due to its high production cost.
Mersal (2017) was a blockbuster hit that won him the SIIMA Award (Tamil) for Best Actor in a Negative Role in 2018.
In Monster (2019), Suryah appeared in a lead role along with Karunakaran and Priya Bhavani Shankar. The comedy film received good reviews from critics.
His next film was Nenjam Marappathillai (2021), a horror film directed by K. Selvaraghavan. Suryah's other release of 2021 was Maanaadu (2021), a science fiction action thriller that became one of the year's highest-grosses in Tamil films.
Suryah essayed a negative role in Don (2022), another blockbuster film that earned more than INR 100 crores. He was next seen in Venkat Raghavan's Kadamaiyai Sei (2022), a psychological action comedy drama.
Apart from films, Suryah has acted in Vadhandhi: The Fable of Velonie (2022), a TV series belonging to the mystery crime thriller genre.- Writer
- Director
- Producer
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 CNN-IBN Indian of the Year 2010, in the Entertainment category.- Writer
- Director
- Producer
Karthik Subbaraj is an Indian film director. He started his career working as a software engineer in Bangalore working for Infosys. During this period he got interested in film making. He learnt the basics of film making, during a one-day workshop run by Sanjay Nambiar. He made a short film "Kaatchipizhai" in Madurai, which was selected for "Naalaya Iyakunar"- Writer
- Director
- Actor
Nalan Kumarasamy was born on 25 October 1980 in Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu, India. He is a writer and director, known for Soodhu Kavvum (2013), Super Deluxe (2019) and Kadhalum Kadandhu Pogum (2016). He is married to Saranya.- Director
- Writer
- Actor
Singeetam Srinivasa Rao was born on 21 September 1931 in Udayagiri, Nellore District, Andhra Pradesh, India. He is a director and writer, known for Pushpaka Vimana (1987), Mayuri (1984) and Little John (2001).- Writer
- Actor
- Director
J. Mahendran was born on 25 July 1939 in Ilaiyangudi, Madras Presidency, British India. He was a writer and actor, known for Mullum Malarum (1978), Nenjathai Killathe (1980) and Uthiri Pookkal (1979). He died on 2 April 2019 in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.- Director
- Editorial Department
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
S.P. Muthuraman was born on 7 April 1935 in Karaikkudi, Tamil Nadu, India. He is a director and assistant director, known for Oru Oodhappu Kan Simittugiradhu (1976), Engeyo Ketta Kural (1982) and Aarilirindhu Aruvathu Varai (1979).- Writer
- Actor
- Director
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 made his directorial debut with the low budget film Chithiram Pesuthadi which went to become one of the biggest hits of the year. A simple love story, it became a hit owing to the unique style the film was written in
His latest film, Yuddham Sei, a dark thriller was a huge hit at the box office as well. His visual style and directing prowess was appreciated and talked about by everybody. He has now started pre-production works on his magnum opus - Mugamoodi to be produced by UTV Motion Pictures. The film will star Jeeva as a superhero.- Writer
- Director
- Actor
K. Viswanath was born on 19 February 1930 in Peddapulivarru, Guntur District, Andhra Pradesh, India. He was a writer and director, known for Sagara Sangamam (1983), Sutradhaarulu (1990) and Sruthilayalu (1987). He was married to Kasinadhuni Jayalakshmi. He died on 2 February 2023 in Hyderabad, India.- Writer
- Director
- Producer
K. Balachander was born on 9 July 1930 in Nannilam, Madras Presidency, British India. He was a writer and director, known for Ek Duuje Ke Liye (1981), Thaneer Thaneer (1981) and Apoorva Raagangal (1975). He was married to Rajam. He died on 23 December 2014 in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.- Actor
- Music Department
- Writer
Kamal Haasan was born November 7, 1954 in Paramakudi, Ramanathapuram District, Tamil Nadu. He debuted as a child artiste in the film "Kalathoor Kannamma" (1960). Since then, he has starred in nearly 220 films in the major Indian languages - Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam and Hindi. He has been a part of the film industry for 60 years, as of 2020. His journey in cinema has seen him do various roles - from child artiste, to romantic lead to one of the most respected and revered heroes of the film industry today.
He has famously said that he is a reluctant actor. He has an avid interest in every aspect of film making and is known for his work as a choreographer, director, and writer, as well.
He wrote his first script at age 18 for the film "Unarchigal" (1976), which was then followed by films that have gone on to become cult classics - Rajapaarvai (1981), Sathya (1988), Apoorva Sahotharargal (1989), Thevar Magan (1992), Mahanadi (1994), Kurudhippunal (1995), Avvai Shanmugi (1996), Hey Ram (2000), Pammal K Sambandam (2002), Panchathanthiram (2002), Anbe Sivam (2003), are a few of the films etched in popular memory for having set the bar for craftsmanship in the fields of screenplay, script, and dialogue.
He is also a prolific writer of fiction and non-fiction in Tamil and his published work is testament to his constant exploration of structure and form.
Kamal Haasan's strong convictions in his art have led to some of Indian cinema's most path-breaking films like Pushpak / Pushpaka Vimaanam / Pesum Padam (1987). Kamal Haasan also worked as a choreographer while transitioning as a well-known child artiste to the lead actor in a feature length film. Some of his best-known work as a dancer can be seen in Saagara Sangamam (1983) and the popular hit Punnagai Mannan (1986).
Kamal Haasan is also a student of Carnatic music, studying under musical maestro Dr. Balamuralikrishna. One of his biggest hits as a playback singer was the song "Inji Iduppazhagi" for the film Thevar Magan.
His career as a director began with the film Chachi 420 (1997), the Hindi remake of Avvai Shanmugi. Since then he has called the shots for critically acclaimed films like "Hey Ram" and "Virumaandi".
He has never hesitated to state his opinions and encourage debate about topics that are socially relevant. He is a rationalist in thought and moderate in opinion and a humanist in philosophy. The need to be socially conscious is seen in the way his fan clubs have revamped themselves into entities that carry out charity and volunteer work.- Writer
- Director
- Producer
Bala was born on 11 July 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.- Writer
- Director
- Actor
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 Shankar Raja and Arvind Krishna.
His brother Dhanush is an acclaimed actor, and his sisters are doctors.
He completed his Bachelor of Engineering in mechanical engineering before he began working in the Tamil film industry since his family insisted that he complete his education before joining the film industry. He also worked several part-time jobs while in college until he found satisfaction as a writer.
Selvaraghavan's debut work as a screenwriter and director was in the Tamil film Thulluvadho Ilamai (2002), which also starred his brother Dhanush and marked his first role.
He also wrote the lyrics of the song Kann Munnae Eththanai Nilavu in the film. Selvaraghavan and his family invested all their savings in this venture. The movie started slowly but picked up pace later and became a sleeper hit at the box office.
He went on to direct films like Kaadhal Konden (2003), which was a romantic thriller and starred Sonia Agarwal, and veteran comedian Nagesh. The film became a blockbuster, giving Dhanush and his career a breakthrough in the Tamil Film Industry. The film was remade across the country in several languages. He directed several movies, including 7/G Rainbow Colony (2004), a juvenile love story, and Pudhu Pettai (2006), featuring Dhanush as the main lead alongside Sonia Agarwal once again.
He then ventured into Telugu films. His first Telugu film as a writer and director is Aadavari Matalaku Ardhalu Verule (2007). The film starring Venkatesh Daggubati and Trisha Krishnan explores the themes of romance and drama. He took experiences from friends who were unemployed graduates like the film's protagonist. The film opened with positive reviews and eventually became one of the biggest successes of the Telugu Film Industry that year.
He wrote Yaaradi Nee Mohini (2008) in 2008. Then he went on to direct and wrote Ayirathil Oruvan (2010), where he wrote the lyrics of all the songs except Thai Thindra Mannae and Pemmanae, Mayakkam Enna (2011), which he coproduced with Gemini Film Circuit, Irandam Ulagam (2013), which amounted to Rs. 60 crores was his costliest production, Maalai Nerathu Mayakkam (2016), NGK (2019), where he wrote the song Pothachaalum, Nenjam Marappathillai (2021), and Naane Varuven (2022).
He started working as an actor in 2022 with the film Beast (2022). And then he went on to act in other films like Saani Kaayidham (2022), which was released on the OTT Platform Amazon Prime Video, Naane Varuven (2022), which was a cameo appearance, Bakasuran (2023).
Selvaraghavan was nominated for the best director award at Filmfare South Awards in 2004 for Kaadhal Konden (2003), in 2005 for 7/G Rainbow Colony (2004), in 2007 for Pudhu Pettai (2006) and in 2010 for Ayirathil Oruvan (2010). Furthermore, he won the world record film at the Edison Award for the movie Ayirathil Oruvan (2010). He was also nominated at the SIMA Awards in the best film category for the movie Mayakkam Enna (2011).- Producer
- Writer
- Director
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 Company. His movie Visaranai (2016) was selected as India's official entry to the Academy Awards.His film Asuran (2019) was named as the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Tamil.- Actor
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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, most notably his romantic films Minnale (2001), Vaaranam Aayiram (2008), Vinnaithaandi Varuvaayaa (2010) and his thrillers Kaakha Kaakha (2003), Vettaiyaadu Vilaiyaadu (2006) and Yennai Arindhaal (2015). Vaaranam Aayiram won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Tamil. Menon produces films through his Photon Kathaas film production company. His production Thanga Meengal (2013) won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Tamil. Menon was born to a Malayali father and a Tamil mother on 25 February 1973 in Ottapalam, a town in the Palakkad district of Kerala. Although born in Kerala he grew up in Anna Nagar, Chennai. He earned a bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering from Mookambigai College of Engineering, Pudukkottai.- Producer
- Director
- Writer
Pa. Ranjith is an exciting prospect in the new age of Tamil film directors. His debut film was a cult romantic comedy film Attakathi, which had positive reviews and his next film was Madras (2014), which showcased the life of North Madras people and their daily life. It was a blockbuster. The neat story-telling with no nonsense in logic and screenplay makes his movies more exciting. His next film was Kabali, which starred the famous Tamil actor Superstar Rajinikanth. The film received mostly positive reviews and went on to become a massive blockbuster. All of Pa. Ranjith's films have one element in common: They express the lives and culture of Dalit people and the oppression they face in contemporary society. Since he himself is from the Dalit community, his fans are claiming that his films have opened up a new facet of Tamil cinema. His next film, Kaala (2018), also stars Superstar Rajinikanth as the protagonist.- Actor
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Ameer Sultan was born on 5 December 1967 in Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India. He is an actor and writer, known for Paruthiveeran (2007), Vada Chennai (2018) and Raam (2005).- Actor
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- Writer
K.S. Ravikumar was born on 30 May 1958 in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. He is an actor and director, known for Dasavatharam (2008), Padaiyappa (1999) and Varalaaru (2006). He is married to Karpagam Ravikumar.- Producer
- Actor
- Director
Also known as Sasi, Mahalingam Sasikumar is primarily known for his contribution to the Tamil film industry. He is an actor, director, producer, and singer.
Sasikumar completed his early education at St. Peter's Boarding School in Kodaikanal and his graduation in business administration at Vellaichamy Nadar College in Madurai.
Sasikumar began his career in the entertainment industry as an assistant director for Sethu (1999). He got his big break with the Tamil period-action film Subramaniapuram (2008). He was the producer, director, writer, and actor for the movie. Despite a low budget, the film was a huge commercial and critical success.
Sasikumar's success continued with his next action thriller, Poraali (2011), for which he was the producer and lead actor. The film received positive reviews and was even remade in Kannada. His next venture was the Malayalam crime thriller film Masters (2012).
Sasikumar's subsequent two releases, Sundarapandian (2012) and Kutti Puli (2013), were with co-star Lakshmi Menon. He was also the producer for Sundarapandian.
His next film, Tharai Thappattai (2016), had him training with folk singers and dancers for a month. The movie took more than two years to produce, and Sasikumar played the role of the head of a Karagattam troupe. The film didn't disappoint and received mostly positive reviews.
Some of Sasikumar's most notable works in the next few years included Vetrivel (2016), Kidaari (2016), Balle Vellaiyathevaa (2016), Petta (2019), Udanpirappe (2021), and Raja Vamsam (2021). He also produced several films, including Pasanga (2009), Kidaari, Balle Vellaiyathevaa, and Kodiveeran (2017).
Sasikumar won the Best Film and Best Director accolades for Subramaniapuram (2008) at the 2009 Tamil Filmfare Awards. He also won the Best Film and Best Feature Film awards for Pasanga (2009) at the Ananda Vikatan Cinema Awards and National Film Awards, respectively.- Director
- Actor
- Writer
S. Balachander was one of southern India's formemost Veena players. He was a child prodigy who taught himself to play the Veena, an ancient stringed instrument that is sometimes called the Indian lute. He directed several Tamil films, mostly mysteries. Unfortunately, they were commercial failures. His films are vaguely reminiscent of Hollywood's film noir classics. They should be regarded as attempts to get an Indian vernacular audience to appreciate detective fiction. Besides being a film director, Balachander was also a musicologist. An acerbic and combative man, he made enemies of his fellow musicians, notably Balamuralikrishna and Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer, by disproving their musical claims. Balachander's death some years ago robbed India of one of its most colourful personalities.- Cinematographer
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Balu Mahendra was born on 20 May 1939 in Sri Lanka. He was a cinematographer and director, known for Moondram Pirai (1982), Kokila (1977) and Veedu (1988). He was married to Ahileshwari. He died on 13 February 2014 in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.- Actor
- Writer
- Director
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 production house of Shankar. The film starring relatively new actors, Bharath and Sandhya made it big at the box-office and earned the stars and the director instant recognition. His Vazhakku Enn 18/9 won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Tamil.Balaji Sakthivel is married to Dr. L.R.S. Kalanithi, who is an Associate Professor of English and Vice-principal (Students' Affairs) of Guru Nanak College (Autonomous), Chennai. They have two children, a daughter (B.K.Koushi Mahalakshmi) born in 2004 and a son (B.K.Vidhyadharan) born in 2007. Their native is Dindigul. They were residing in Virugambakkam, Chennai. But have recently moved to a nearby neighbourhood Ramapuram, Chennai.- Cinematographer
- Actor
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Rajiv Menon, Founder of "Rajiv Menon Productions", born in Kerala, joined the Film and Television Institute of Chennai in 1981, to study cinematography. In 1984, he went to America to train under cinematographer Garret Brown, best known for his invention of the Steadicam. In 1986, Rajiv founded "Rajiv Menon Productions", popularly known today as "RMP", where he started his career in TV commercials. Rajiv received his first national recognition through his Asian Paints "Pongal" commercial, which he both shot and directed and music for this was composed by A R Rahman. RMP has since produced over 300 TV commercials for leading brands in the country, for over 25 years. Rajiv's work in feature films was noticed and well appreciated when he did the cinematography for the award winning feature film 'Bombay (1995)' . His skill as a cinematographer received much praise, and since, he has worked with accomplished filmmakers like Mani Ratnam, Shyam Benegal and Girish Karnad. His latest contributions have been in Mani Ratnam's Guru (2007) and Kadal (2013) . Rajiv's first directorial venture Minsaara Kanavu (1997) (Electric Dreams) was not only a popular hit but also fetched four national awards for best choreography, best playback - male & female, and best music director. His second directorial venture was the multi-starrer Kandukondain Kandukondain (2000) (I have found it), besides winning the best director and best picture awards at filmfare, was screened at numerous International Film Festivals like the London Film Festival, The Washington DC Festival and the Danish Film Festival. A song from the film also won singer Shankar Mahadevan his first National Award. Rajiv Menon is a tremendously hardworking individual and his versatility extends across everything from being an ad photographer, cinematographer, director, actor, singer and orator, making him one of the country's most reputed and sought after film makers. Rajiv is equally interested in giving back to the industry a range of talent it needs to constantly renew itself. It is with this principal aim that he founded the Mindscreen Film Institute - a film school that nurtures tomorrow's talent by providing comprehensive training across all facets of Cinematography, Screenwriting and Filmmaking.