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Krishna Vamsi was born on 28 July 1962 in Tadepalligudem, Andhra Pradesh, India. He is a writer and director, known for Khadgam (2002), Govindudu Andari Vaadele (2014) and Anthahpuram (1998). He has been married to Ramya Krishnan since 12 June 2003. They have one child.- 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).- Director
- Producer
- Writer
Ram Gopal Varma was born in Hyderabad, the capital city of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. He initially was a video store owner before eventually becoming one of India's leading film directors. A film buff during his youth, Varma would watch both American and Indian cinema regularly. As a young man, he attended Siddhartha Engineering College in Vijayawada. Varma started his career in telugu cinema (the Hyderabad film industry), where he made a huge mark with his debut film Shiva, a violent and stylized actioner set in a college backdrop. At the age of 28, with little film training, Varma was able to convince Nagarjuna, a young Telugu star, to act in his debut picture. Nagarjuna was drawn by the narration of the script and intelligence displayed by the young Varma. Shiva was a landmark hit for the industry and was remade by Varma in the hindi language a year later.
His next was the exciting adventure film, Kshana Kshanam, starring Venkatesh and Sridevi. Varma followed this up with such films as - Raatri, a homage to 'The Exorcist' starring Revati and Om Puri (which Varma would remake over a decade later in Hindi as Bhoot) and Antham, a stylized crime drama, with Nagarjuna and Urmila Matondkar (which Varma would also rework later as Satya) - but was not able to attain the commercial success of his first feature. His next release Gaayam, with Jagapathi Babu and Urmila Matondkar, was a violent crime drama set in Hyderabad. The screenplay was co-written by tamil film director Mani Ratnam, and the script based on 'The Godfather'. It became a success for Varma. He then decided to start his own production banner, Varma Corporation Limited, and produced successful telugu films such as Money (remade later as Love Ke Liye Kuchh Bhi Karega), Money Money (its sequel), Gulabi and Anaganaga Oka Roju.
His first huge success in hindi cinema (the Mumbai film industry) was the commercial blockbuster Rangeela, a stylish romantic drama with Aamir Khan and Urmila Matondkar. A.R. Rahman, a tamil music composer, was introduced to hindi audiences by Varma with this film and won the award for best film music.
Varma followed up with the ground breaking gangster saga Satya, a violent crime epic set in the Mumbai underworld. The film was gritty and realistic, reinventing the crime genre in Indian cinema. Varma had done extensive research for the film, and reworked certain elements of his earlier film Antham. Satya was widely considered Varma's first true masterwork. Made on a shoestring budget and with new faces, the film won awards for actor Manoj Bajpai and music composer Vishal Bharadwaj. Satya became a turning point in Varma's career, winning best picture of the year, and Varma would be forever associated with Mumbai noirs.
Varma then, with fellow director Shekhar Kapur, created a joint film production company in 1998 called India Talkies. The first venture of the production house was the ambitious terrorist drama 'Dil Se', with Shahrukh Khan and Manisha Koirala. The film was a box office dud, and India Talkies would be short lived. Varma would return to focusing on his own production house Varma Corp.
The hard hitting masterpiece 'Shool' followed shortly after, written and produced by Varma. The film depicted the life of an honest police officer in the violent and harsh rural setting of Bihar. The film was a commercial and critical success with both Manoj Bajpai and Sayaji Shinde winning awards for their performances. Varma lightened things up next with the romantic drama 'Mast'. The film was inspired by Varma's own college days, and featured Aftab Shivdasani in an award-winning turn as a film crazy college student.
Varma decided afterwards to only direct films in the Mumbai film industry. He believed there was more talent in Mumbai than in southern film cities like Chennai and Hyderabad. Varma had always admired directors such as Shyam Benegal, Govind Nihlani, and Gulzar. He considers Kalyug, Ardh Satya, and Mere Apne among his favorite Indian films of all time. At a time when popular Indian Cinema featured either over the top action films or glamorous love stories, Varma's films were more rooted and realistic. Varma is known to frequently cut out song and dance sequences in his films, which are usually commonplace in Bollywood. His films almost always deal with the contemporary and urban, usually set in the city of Mumbai. He often uses Indian stage actors in his films rather than established bollywood stars. Mainly known for creating the 'Mumbai noir', Varma brought psychological depth and cinematic virtuosity to genre films.
More recently, Varma returned with the organized crime masterpiece 'Company'. The film was again set in the Mumbai underworld, and was based on real life Underworld don Dawood Ibrahim and his criminal outfit D-Company. The film featured award-winning performances by Ajay Devgan, Vivek Oberoi and Manisha Koirala. The film also won awards for best editing by Chandan Arora and best story by Jaideep Sahni. The film was lauded by critics and audiences alike.
His latest release Naach, which Varma called his best film yet, was a largely self reflective piece, about the relationship between an idealistic choreographer and an ambitious actor. The film had a weak commercial run but was liked by critics. In a recent interview with the Indian Express newspaper, the filmmaker criticized Indian audiences saying "I gave Ayn Rand to a Municipal School."
He spends most of his time these days producing small budget films for his successful production house Varma Corp. Though not always credited, he is involved in all aspects of his productions, often believed to 'ghost direct' many of the films. He produces films at a fast speed that is unfamiliar to the Indian Film Industry. He has had many recent successes including - 'Ab Tak Chhappan', based on the experiences of famed Mumbai police Daya Naik, 'D', a prequel to his earlier hit Company based on the early years of Dawood Ibrahim during his days under Pathan underworld boss Karim Lala, 'Ek Hasina Thi', a female revenge thriller, and finally 'Road'. He has also produced lighter films such as 'Love Ke Liye Kuchh Bhi Karega' and 'Main Madhuri Dixit Banna Chahti Hoon'.- Writer
- Director
- Music Department
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 career as a dialogue and scriptwriter for many hit movies like Swayamvaram (1999), Nuvve Kavali (2000), Nuvvu Naaku Nachchav (2001) and Malliswari (2004) to name a few. He debuted as director with the critically acclaimed movie Nuvve.. Nuvve... (2002). He later went on to direct many successful movies with big stars in the lead.- Writer
- Director
- Actor
Srinu Vaitla is an Indian film director associated with Telugu cinema. His first mainstream movie as a director was Nee Kosam (1999) starring Ravi Teja and Maheswari. Though the movie was an average flick at the box office, it was critically acclaimed. He shot to fame with his second movie Anandam (2001), released in 2001.- Writer
- Editor
- Producer
Rajkumar Hirani is an Indian film director and editor. Hirani has directed five Hindi films, including Munna Bhai M.B.B.S., Lage Raho Munnabhai, 3 Idiots, PK and Sanju, and all of which have been commercial and critical successes. Most of which have won several awards, including the national awards. Among his awards, include 11 Filmfare Awards. He is the founder and owns the production house Rajkumar Hirani Films.- Writer
- Producer
- Director
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 from Andhra Pradesh.
Rajamouli has directed 12 feature films so far, including mega blockbusters like Baahubali: The Beginning, Baahubali: The Conclusion, and RRR. Through his Baahubali series, Rajamouli pioneered the Pan-Indian films movement. His next film, tentatively called SSMB29, is a globetrotting action adventure & first collaboration with "Superstar" Mahesh Babu which is is expected to begin its production in 2024.
Eega (2012) won nine awards at the Toronto After Dark Film Festival, including the Most Original Film. Baahubali films have received six Saturn Award nominations with Baahubali 2 (2017) winning the Best International Film. His latest directorial "RRR" (2022) received various international accolades including the 1st Academy Award for India, a Golden Globe Award for the song "Naatu Naatu" & nomination for Best Foreign language film, and a Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Foreign Language Film.
A self confessed "film freak", Rajamouli's penchant for filmmaking is best captured by the word "emotion". He has often stated that his films are based on stories driven by human emotions. While scaling up his work with "larger-than-life" themes over the years, Rajamouli maintained his signature style of filmmaking that allows audience to simmer in the thrills and emotions of the story with less dialogue.
He is a recipient of various national and international honors including a prestigious New York Film Critics Circle award, a Critics' Choice Movie Award, two Saturn Awards, and four National Film Awards. In 2016, the Government of India honoured him with the Padma Shri (fourth-highest civilian award of the Republic of India), for his contributions in the field of art. In 2023, he was included on the Time's list of the 100 most influential people in the world- Writer
- Director
- Producer
Best known for his commercially storytelling abilities acclaimed writer-director Puri Jagannadh was born September 1, 1966 in Kothapalli, Andhra Pradesh, India. Over the course of 20 years of filmmaking, Puri Jagannadh has gone from small budget independent films to working on some of the biggest blockbusters ever made on Indian silver screen making heroes to super stars through his films!
Director Puri Jagannadh is considered as the Star Maker & Path Breaker of Tollywood. His dynamism in crafting each & every character of his films,his ease in redefining attitude, characterization & mannerism of all his actors, his super race screenplay and above all his command of dialogues & stories etc., made him one of the most successful directors of his time!
Hailed by his numerous fans & admirers as "Guruji" ,"The Star Maker" ,"The Rebellion" and "Gun of Words", he is famous for his films with sensible screenplay and dialogues without missing the commercial aspects required to acquire the Box office.
Puri Jagannadh is well known for his mark way of filmmaking. His biggest USP is the power of his pen and the rapid speed with which he shoots any and all his film.He is known as 'The' Super fast director of Tollywood,ever! An it's well known fact that any actor or actress who works with him will get a 360 degree change over, right from the attire to their attitude in the film which indeed makes him a hot selling cake in the market.
It's the doors of Puri Jagannadh which gets the knock by any star(s) or producers who wants to introduce their heir to the film industry. Puri Jagannadh has introduced many actors & actress like Ram Charan,Sai Ram Shanker,Puneeth RajKumar of Kanada,Anuksha Shetty( The Bahubali fame) Ameesha Patel, Renu Desai,Asin Thottumkal,Rakshita,Ayesha Takia, Haniska Motwani,Neha Sharma,Aah Sharma,Aditi Arya, Kangna Ranaut, etc all later went on to become superstars in both South and North film Industry. He is considered as the Golden Hand for actors & actress of Tollywood.
Right from the age of 7 years, Puri Jagannadh started writing short stories out of his interest and was an ardent book reader from his very childhood. By the age of 14 he almost read the holy Mahabharath,Bhagavad Gita, writing of the renowned writers & social philosophers like Gudipati Venkatachalam,Muppala Ranganayakamma etc,., which helped him to develop a strong character of his own and to develop his very own style & perspective of looking at things.
He started his career as an assistant director to Ram Gopal Varma and had worked for several Telugu films like Shiva(1990) Ninne Pelladata (1996) His Telugu directorial debut, Badri (2000) was a blockbuster, starring Pawan Kalyan in the lead role, along with Renu Desai, Prakash Raj, and Amisha Patel in supporting roles.
In 2006, Puri Jagannadh captivated audiences big time with his Action-Thriller 'Pokiri(2006) starring Mahesh Babu which he directed and produced. The commercial action thriller was a blockbuster, earning a distributor's share of Rs. 420 million. The film grossed Rs. 660 million worldwide and remained the highest-grossing Telugu film for three years and smashed all the previous records of all the films till date it was released. The same film was remade into various languages like Hindi,Tamil, Kanada etc by stars like Vijay (Tamil) Salman Khan (Hindi) & Darshan (Kanada) which too became super sensation hits. Pokiri's success all over catapulted Puri Jagannadh to nationwide recognition and every super star from all parts of the country urged to work with him,at least once. Pokiri, premiered at the 7th IIFA Film Festival held in Dubai.
Puri Jagannadh made many super duper commercial blockbusters hits throughout starting from his very first film 'Badri'(2000) and carried the legacy by 'Itlu Sravani Subramanyam'(2001) 'Appu' (2002) 'Amma Nanna O Tamila Ammayi' (2003) 'Sivamani'(2003) 143 (2004) 'Pokiri' (2006) 'Desamuduru' (2007) 'Chirutha' (2007) 'Bujjigadu'(2008) 'Neninthe(2008) 'Ek Niranjan' (2009) 'Businessman(2012)' 'Cameraman Gangatho Rambabu' (2012) 'Iddarammayilatho'(2013) 'Heart Attack' (2014) 'Temper' (2015) 'ISM' (2016) 'Paisa Vasool' (2017) etc.,which all went to become biggest blockbusters with a bombastic bang at Box Office making Puri Jagannadh one of the most super successful commercial directors of South Indian Film Industry.
He produces films under his own production companies, 'Puri Jagannadh Touring Talkies', 'Puri Connects' & 'Vaishno Academy'. He bankrolled many films on his own like Idiot(2002) , Amma Nanna O Tamila Ammayi(2003) Sivamani(2003) 143(2004) Pokiri(2006) Heart Attack (2014) etc., and all turned out to super successful at box office which not only made him a successful director but also proved him to be a successful producer too.
In the year 2011, Puri Jagannadh made 'Bbuddah... Hoga Terra Baap' with Indian Super Star and world wide renowned actor "Amitabh Bachchan" and the film turned out to be a blockbuster in B-town and Puri Jagannadh sent a strong shock wave to B-town through his dialogues, taking and by the way he could see and present Amitabh Bachchan as a anger young man, with a whole new different attire and attitude.
In his 20 years in film fraternity, he has made 33 films (with 90% success rate) which by itself is a unbeatable record for any director of his time period to break.
One Film on shot, one on pre-production and one on post production, this is how Puri Jagannadh tends to work, nonstop! To stop or to rest is something he doesn't believe in! There were many a times where he had 3 releases a year.
At present Puri Jagannadh is making a launch film for none other than his very own son 'Akash Puri' entitles 'Mehbooba' which is slated to be a high intense love story on the backdrop of 1971 Indo-Pak war, which is one of the most awaited film in South Indian.
'Mehbooba' fetched nationwide attention & grabbed the eyeballs of the people throughout the nation with it's teaser which got released recently, for the span,standard of making & for the breathtaking visuals in it,which is being produced by Puri Jagannadh himself on his home banner 'Puri Connects'
Owned Production Houses:
Puri Jagannadh Touring Talkies Puri Connects Vaishno Academy Puri Sangeet- Writer
- Director
- Additional Crew
Koratala Siva was born on 15 June 1975 in Andhra Pradesh, India. He is a writer and director, known for Janatha Garage (2016), Srimanthudu (2015) and Mirchi (2013).- Writer
- Director
- Producer
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 master's degree in Mathematics.
Before joining the film industry, Sukumar worked as a mathematics lecturer at a junior college in Bhimavaram. He decided to switch careers when he felt his life as a lecturer had become too mundane.
After moving to Hyderabad to pursue a career in the film industry, he began writing for TV serials and films. He later worked as an assistant director in a few movies, including Manasichi Choodu (1999).
Sukumar made his directorial debut with Arya (2004), a romantic entertainer starring Allu Arjun, Siva Balaji, and Anuradha Mehta. He also wrote the screenplay for the film. The story revolves around three college students with love as the key theme. The film was a massive blockbuster and ran over 420 days across eight centres. Sukumar won the Filmfare South Award (2004) for Best Director - Telugu for this movie. He also won the Nandi Award for Best Screenplay Writer in 2004. The film brought him into the limelight overnight.
His second directorial venture was Jagadam (2007), an action movie that had Ram Pothineni and Isha Sahani playing the lead roles. He was the screenplay writer for this movie as well. The film depicts the story of a child who wants to become a thug growing up and the challenges he has to face later in his life due to his fascination.
He then wrote and directed Arya 2 (2009) next. It was the namesake sequel of Arya (2004) and featured Allu Arjun, Navdeep, and Kajal Aggarwal in lead roles. The film deals with the love-hate relationship between two childhood friends who fall in love with the same girl. Arya 2 received mixed reviews from critics.
In his next film, 100% Love (2011), Sukumar explored the romantic comedy genre in which Naga Chaitanya Akkineni and Tamannaah Bhatia portrayed the main characters. The storyline was about the ego hassles between two college students who are very competitive in their studies and have fallen in love with each other. The movie proved to be a big hit.
In 2014, Sukumar directed the psychological action thrille 1: Nenokkadine (2014), with Mahesh Babu and Kriti Sanon in lead roles. The film was about a rockstar with a psychological condition who seeks to avenge his parent's death, and it received mixed reviews from critics.
The same year, he directed I Am That Change (2014), a short film starring Allu Arjun. It received a positive response.
He next directed To Father with Love (2016), an action thriller in which N.T. Rama Rao Jr., Rajendra Prasad, and Rakul Preet Singh played the lead characters. The film revolves around the emotional relationship between a son and his father, spanning the last month of the latter's life. It got positive responses from critics.
His next venture as a writer-cum-director was Rangasthalam 1985 (2018), a period drama starring Ram Charan, Samantha Ruth Prabhu, and Aadhi in pivotal roles. The film narrates the story of two brothers and their fight against corrupt village governance. It was a massive hit at the box office and became one of the highest-grossing Telegu movies of 2018.
Sukumar then directed Pushpa: The Rise - Part 1 (2021), in which the lead roles were played by Allu Arjun, Fahadh Faasil, and Rashmika Mandanna. The film traces the story of a labourer name Pushpa who rises through the ranks of a smuggling syndicate dealing in red sandalwood and his tussle with the law regarding illegal trade. The film was a huge commercial success and became one of the highest-grossing Indian films of 2021.
Sukumar married Thabitha Sukumar in 2009.The couple met at a screening of his directorial film, Arya. They gradually fell in love, but Thabitha's parents were opposed to the match. The couple married in the presence of Sukumar's parents and her sister. Thabitha's parents later accepted their relationship. The couple has two kids, a son and a daughter.- 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.- Writer
- Director
- Actor
V.V. Vinayak was born on 9 October 1974 in Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India. He is a writer and director, known for Naayak (2013), Adhurs (2010) and Aadi (2002). He is married to Anantha Lakshmi Satyavathi.- Writer
- Director
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Vamshi was born in Nirmal Telangana in India. He did his schooling in Hyderabad Public School, and his intermediate from Little Flower Junior College. He then completed Bachelor's in commerce and a Master's in Computer Applications (MCA) from Badruka Educational Society. He later quit his software job and got into films as an assistant director for the film Eeshwar in 2002 and worked as an associate director for Varsham, Mass and Bhadra .
He Debuted as director with Munna(2007) which was unsuccessful. He got his first breakthrough with his second movie Brindaavanam(2010)- Writer
- Director
- Producer
Maruthi Dasari was born on 8 October 1981 in Machilipatnam, Andhra Pradesh, India. He is a writer and director, known for Bhale Bhale Magadivoy (2015), Prema Katha Chitram (2013) and Manchi Rojulochaie (2021). He is married to Veenaraga Spandana.- Director
- Writer
- Actor
Dasari Narayana Rao was born on 4 May 1947 in Palakol, West Godavari district, Andhra Pradesh, India. He was a director and writer, known for Meghasandesam (1983), Kante Koothurne Kanu (1998) and Gorintaku (1979). He was married to Dasari Padma. He died on 30 May 2017 in Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India.- 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....- Writer
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- 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
- Producer
- Director
A Legend of Telugu Cinema from South India, K.Raghavendra Rao's career spans 4 decades during which he has directed 110 films to date and has produced over 25 films in various Indian Languages.
He started his career successfully in 1975 having a long association with the icon of Telugu Cinema, the late N.T.R (ex-chief minister) and continues into the 21st century having worked though 5 generations of stars that include NTR & ANR, Krishna & ShobanBabu, Chiranjeevi & Balakrishna, Nagarjun & Venkatesh, Mahesh Babu, Jr. NTR & Allu Arjun.
He is credited with having longstanding relationships with some of the biggest stars of Telugu cinema noteworthy of them being 12 films with the late NTR ( a resurgence with which he went on to become the chief minister), 8 films with Chiranjeevi ( the most by any director) and 17 films with Sridevi (the most by any director). He has introduced and launched the careers of Venkatesh (son of D.Rama Naidu), Mahesh Babu (son of Krishna), Jr. NTR (grandson of Late NTR) and Allu Arjun (nephew of Chiranjeevi) apart from many heroines like Sridevi, Jaya Prada, Ramya Krishna, etc.
His foray into Hindi cinema in the 80's included blockbuster hits like Himatwaala, Tofha, Justice Choudary, Farz Aur Kanoon, Jani Dhost, among others(16 films). He is credited with the resurgence of Jeethandra as the jumping jack of Hindi cinema. As per independent estimates, the box office impact of his Hindi films adjusted for inflation in today's terms is over Rs.200 crores and puts him among the most successful directors in Indian film history. (Source IBOS Networks).
He has also credited with directing all 3 generations of families that include the Late NTR, ANR (Annapoorna Studios), D.Rama Naidu (Suresh Productions) and L.V Prasad ( Prasad Labs & ACS). His assistants include successful directors like B.Gopal, Kondandaram Reddy, S.S. Raj Mauli, Chandrasekar, YVS Choudary, etc.
He has also served as the Electronic Media Advisor, a Cabinet rank for the Chandrababu Naidu Govt. He has to his credit 1 National Award, over 10 State awards, 2 Filmfare awards and a Filmfare Life Time Achievement Award for his contribution to Indian Cinema.- Director
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Popularly known as Bapu was born on 15th December,1933 in Narsapur, Andhrapradesh. Before this Bapu met Ramana in Taylor high school in Narasapur where they studied as classmates for three years until second world war ended. Later when their families moved to Madras where they continued their studies, in 1945 All India Radio (Madras) published a children's story Amma maata vinakapothe which was written by Mollapudi Venkataramana for which Bapu worked as a cartoonist making this their first collaboration. Later Bapu was got graduated from University of Madras in B.com B.L in 1953 and 1955 respectively. Bapu became an expert cartoonist and painter own his own with his own style which caught everyone's eyes. Soon when Bapu wanted to make films Ramana also joined him. By the time Bapu became a director Ramana has got some chances as a writer in the industry. Later Bapu debuted with his directorial and written by Ramana Saakshi in 1967 starring Krishna and Vijaya nirmala which became an instant hit. Entire movie was known to be shot in just 17days completely in outdoors which was first of its kind at that time. This director-writer duo went on to make many well known and noted movies like Balaraju katha, Sampoorna ramayanam, Andala ramudu, Muthyala muggu, Seetha kalyanam, Bhaktha kannappa, Gorantha deepam, Manavoori pandavulu, Tyagayya, Manthrigaari viyyankudu, Pelli pustakam, Mister pellaam. Bapu and Ramana are known for their friendship in Telugu film industry even today. While they collaborated for Srirama Rajyam in 2011 Ramana passed away in the film making and soon after the film's release Bapu also passed away making this film their last one. Bapu has received 2 National film awards, 3 Filmfare awards, 7 state Nandi awards and prestigious Raghupathi Venkaiah award from the Government of Andhra Pradesh. Bapu's direction with simplistic and cultural aspects in his films is widely appreciated. Especially his way of showing lead actresses with 'Telugu thanam' is considered undeniably the best. Bapu also widely known for his paintings of characters of epics like ramayana and Mahabharata. Both Bapu and Ramana collaborated for some popular books namely Budugu, Kothi kommachi, Bommalu geeyandi. Bapu who is especially fond Lord Rama has drawn a numerous portraits of him which are unique in field of line drawing. He also received a Life time achievement award from Indian institute of cartoonists. He has designed and illustrated a number of books of puranas and folklore for which he received government awards. Bapu is also known for introducing a whole new font in Telugu which is known to be used even today.- Director
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Boyapati Sreenu, is an Indian film director. Best known for directing action films, Sreenu has garnered two state Nandi Awards, and two "TSR National Awards" for his works.[1][2] In 2005, Srinu made his directorial debut with Bhadra, which starred Ravi Teja, Meera Jasmine, and Prakash Raj. Tulasi was his second film.- Director
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Surender Reddy is an Telugu Film director who made his directorial debut with Athanokkade movie. His noted films are Kick starring Ravi Teja , Ileana D'Cruz and Race Gurram starring Allu Arjun and Shruti Haasan. All the films he directed except for Athanokkade are the stories written by Vakkantham Vamsi. His movie Kick 2 was released in August 2015 with star hero Ravi Teja[2] It collected an estimate of Rs.6.25 crores (943,000 USD) on its first day, the highest for a Ravi Teja movie crossing Power.- Writer
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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 Filmfare Award for Best Director for his 2014 Tamil action-drama film Kaththi.Murugadoss was born in Kallakurichi, Tamil Nadu. The initials "AR" refer to his father's name Arunasalam and were added after Murugadoss signed his first film, Dheena, in 2001. Murugadoss currently resides in Virugambakkam, Chennai. Murugadoss had his schooling at the Government Higher Secondary School and studied BA in Bishop Heber College, Tiruchirapalli. His brother, Dileepan made his acting debut with Vathikuchi, which is Murugadoss' production venture.- Writer
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A. Karunakaran is a Storywriter, Screenplay, Director. He won National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Telugu for Tholi Prema (1998) and Nandi Award for Best Screenplay Writer for Ullasamga Utsahamga (2008). His movies Yuvakudu (2000), Vasu (2002), Balu ABDCEFG (2005), Happy (2006), Darling (2010), Endhukante Premanta (2012), Tej I Love You (2018).- Director
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Parasuram was born in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, India. He is known for Geetha Govindam (2018), Anjaneyulu (2009) and Sarocharu (2012).- Writer
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Sekhar Kammula was born on 4 February 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.- Director
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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 Pather Panchali (1955) won several International Awards and set Ray as a world-class director. He died on April twenty-third, 1992.- Director
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Adoor Gopalakrishnan is India's most acclaimed contemporary filmmaker. Born in 1941 in Kerala, a state in south India, he belongs to a family with strong links to the performing arts, especially Kathakali, a highly-stylised form of dance drama. From the age of eight Adoor began acting for the stage, later producing and directing over twenty plays, several written by him. He is the author of two books on the theatre as well as a book on the cinema, "The World of Cinema", for which he won a national award in 1983. In 1962 Adoor enrolled in the Film and Television Institute in Pune and graduated in 1965 with a diploma in Scriptwriting and Direction. The same year he founded the Chitralekha Film Society of Trivandrum as well as the Chitralekha Film Cooperative. Both played a key role in the development of film culture in Kerala. In 1972 Adoor made Swayamvaram/One's Own Choice, his first full-length feature film. It launched the New Cinema in Kerala and became one of the major films of the Indian New Wave. He has since made seven more films (along with over 25 shorts and documentaries), all of which have won major national and international awards: Kodiyettam/Ascent (1977); Elippathayam/Rat Trap (1981); Mukhamukham/Face to Face (1984); Anantaram/Monologue (1987); Mathilukal/The Walls (1990); Vidheyan/The Servile (1993), and Kathapurushan/Man of the Story (1995). Elippathayam received the prestigious British Film Institute Award in 1982; Mukhamukham won the FIPRESCI prize in 1985; Kathapurushan was honoured in India in 1995 with the National Award for Best Film. Retrospectives of Adoor's films have been held in Pesaro, Helsinki, La Rochelle, Nantes, Munich, and New York. All of Adoor's films draw on the history and culture of his native Kerala. Kerala's transition from feudalism to modernity serves as a backdrop to his complex meditations on the psychology of power, the nature of oppression, the corruption of patriarchy, and the coexistence of the modern and the feudal in post-Independence democratic India. Elippathayam, his masterpiece, vividly captures the descent into paranoia of a man trapped within his feudal universe. In Mukhamukham, a study in failed idealism, a Communist leader gives up on revolution and decides to go to sleep instead. Vidheyan, a parable-like story, deals with the abuse of power, the plight of the outsider, and the nature of a master-servant relationship. The more recent films--especially Anantaram, Mathilukal and Kathapurushan--display a new concern with interiority and reflexivity, foregrounding time, memory, consciousness, and the nature of storytelling itself. Adoor's genius lies in his ability to create visually complex films that operate on multiple levels, that are culture-specific and yet universal in significance.- Actor
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Upendra Rao, popularly known by his stage name Upendra is an Indian actor, producer, filmmaker, screenwriter, and politician who majorly works in the Kannada and Telugu film industries.
Rao started his career with his debut as a writer and an assistant director to Kashinath (an actor and film director) with the movie Tharle Nan Maga (1992). In the movie, he worked in various departments, from writing dialogues, songs and screenplay. The movie was a huge success and quickly became a cult favourite.
Rao also directed another successful movie with Kashinath and Kumar Govind called Shhh! (1993) when he came out as an independent director. Upendra then directed Om (1995) and A: Film by Upendra (1998), in which he also debuted as an actor.
Rao worked as an actor in Kannada and Telugu films for another decade before returning to directing. Some of his most prominent work includes Upendra (1999), Preethse (2000), Super Star (2002), Kutumba (2002), Gokarna (2003), Hollywood (2003), Raktha Kanneeru (2003), Gowramma (2005), Auto Shankar (2005), Aishwarya (2006), Anatharu (2007), Budhivanta (2008), Super (2010), Kalpana (2012), Godfather (2012), S/O Satyamurthy (2015), Uppi 2 (2015), I Love You (2019) and more.
Rao transitioned into acting via the movie A: Film by Upendra (1998). The movie was a huge success and quickly became one of the highest-grossing movies in the Kannada movie industry.
Rao also made a self-titled film Upendra (1999), that starred three heroines, including the famous Bollywood actress Raveena Tandon. The movie also was a huge success in Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. It surpassed the success of the movie A: Film by Upendra (1998).
Rao experimented in Telugu cinema, where he participated in some lesser-known films, including Naanu Naane (2002), Hollywood (2003), Nagarahavu (2016), etc.
Rao made a comeback as a director with the movie Super (2010). The movie was a blockbuster and broke many records in theatres all over Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. It also had a long 175-day theatrical run in theatres. It was one of the highest-grossing Kannada films of that year.
Rao directed and acted in the sequel of his self-titled movie, Upendra (1999), titled Uppi 2 (2015). After its release, the movie set the record for the highest-grossing opening day for a Kannada movie.
Rao won the award for Best Male Actor for his role in A: Film by Upendra (1998) at the Udaya Film Awards. In 2000, he also won the award for Best Director for Upendra at the 47th Film Awards South. In 2003, Upendra again won Best Male actor at the Udaya Film Awards for his role in Nagarahavu (2016). In 2004, he won Best Actor and Best Dialogue for his movie Raktha Kanneeru (2003) at the Hello Gandhinagara Awards 2004.
In 2018, he started a political party Uttama Prajakeeya Party. His party represented 'Prajakeeya', meaning the workers. However, he never once contested any election.
Rao was also part of several endorsements. He was the brand ambassador for United Breweries, SK Super TMT, Lunars Footwear, Royal Challengers Bangalore, and Emani Navaratna Brand, among others.- Producer
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Labeled the eternal romantic and with one of the best musical senses in the business, Yash Chopra is arguably India's most successful director of romantic films. Although he made action-oriented films like the ever-popular Deewaar (1975), it is in tackling love and its various aspects that he has been at his best. One of the few remaining commercial Indian directors who started their careers in the 1950s, he has successfully moved with the times from the socially significant Dhool Ka Phool (1959) to the young and cool Dil To Pagal Hai (1997).
Yash Chopra was born in Lahore in 1932, to an accountant in the PWD division of the British Punjab administration, the youngest of eight children. He began as an assistant director to I.S. Johar before working with his elder brother, the legendary B.R. Chopra; while another brother, Dharam Chopra, worked as his cameraman. He was given his first directorial opportunity with Dhool Ka Phool (1959), a melodrama about illegitimacy; it became a hit and even now remains popular today. Encouraged by this success, the Chopra brothers made a few more movies together, the most notable being Waqt (1965), India's first multi-starrer; and Ittefaq (1969), a thriller. On the personal front, Chopra married Pamela Chopra (née Singh) in 1970, and they had two children, Aditya Chopra and Uday Chopra, both working in the film industry today.
In 1973, the Chopra brothers separated, with Yash Chopra founded his studio, Yash Raj Films, and launched it with Daag: A Poem of Love (1973), a successful melodrama about a polygamous man. He then entered one of his best phases with two Amitabh Bachchan classics: Deewaar (1975) and Kabhi Kabhie (1976). These movies set the standard for the 1970s and 1980s, establishing Bachchan as the greatest and most beloved Indian film star of all time. His respective roles--a bitter criminal and a sensitive, brooding poet--are considered to be his greatest performances, although complete opposites of each other.
In the 1980s, Chopra went through a rough time. Two of his melodramas, Silsila (1981) and Faasle (1985); and two action-oriented films, Mashaal (1984) and Vijay (1988), flopped at the box office, although the latter became a critically acclaimed classic years later. However, he made a comeback with his musical love triangle Chandni (1989). The film was a huge success, with great performances by established heroine Sridevi and action hero Vinod Khanna. Then came what critics and Chopra himself considered his best film, Lamhe (1991), a beautiful film about cross-generational love. It couldn't survive the box office, however, due to its incestuous nature.
Parampara (1993), done for an outside producer, was a misfire, but then came the box-office hit and trend setter Darr (1993). Starring the then-débutant Shah Rukh Khan, it showed a sympathetic look at obsessive love and an emotion often overlooked in love--fear--and its success catapulted Khan to super-stardom. In 1995, Chopra turned to production and Aditya Chopra made his directorial debut with Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (1995), which had the longest-running initial release in cinema history. He directed one more film, Dil To Pagal Hai (1997), a love story set against the theater, which became a huge success and a cult hit, before he retired from directing. However, in 2004, he made a grand comeback with Veer-Zaara (2004), a touching cross-border love story, which he said would be his last directorial effort.
The ages of the director and playback singer Lata Mangeshkar, his muse, proved you need to be young, as well as crazy, at heart, to be a true romantic....- Actor
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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.- Producer
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Anurag Singh Kashyap (born 10 September 1972) is an Indian film director, producer and screenwriter. Kashyap made his directorial debut with as yet unreleased Paanch, with Kay Kay Menon as the lead. As a filmmaker, he is known for Black Friday (2004), a controversial and award-winning Hindi film about the 1993 Mumbai bombings, followed by No Smoking (2007), Dev D (2009), Gulaal (2009), That Girl in Yellow Boots (2011) and Gangs of Wasseypur (2012). As a screenwriter, he wrote the scripts for the Filmfare Award-winning Satya (1998) and the Academy Award-nominated Canadian film Water (2005). He founded his film production company, Anurag Kashyap Films Pvt. Ltd. in 2009.- Producer
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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.- 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.- Director
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Nag Ashwin Reddy, more commonly known as Nag Ashwin, is an Indian film director and screenwriter who is best known for his work in Telugu cinema.
After finishing his schooling at Hyderabad Public School, Ashwin pursued his Bachelor's in Mass Communication from the Manipal Institute of Communication. He later enrolled in a Film Direction course at the New York Film Academy.
Ashwin entered the film industry as an assistant director for the filmsNenu Meeku Telusa...? (2008)), Leader (2010), and Life Is Beautiful (2012).
In 2013, he directed his first short film, Yaadon Ki Baraat (2013). Followed by this, he directed the philosophical drama film Yevade Subramanyam (2015) which won the Nandi Award for Best Debut Director in 2015.
In 2018, Ashwin wrote and directed Mahanati (2018) (Nadigaiyar Thilagam in Tamil), a biographical film on Savitri (a popular South Indian actress who ruled the industry for two decades during 50s and 60s) starring Keerthy Suresh, Dulquer Salmaan, and Samantha Ruth Prabhu.
Mahanati won several awards and nominations, including the Equality in Cinema Award at the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne 2018, the Best Feature Film in Telugu award at the 66th National Film Awards 2019, the Zee Cine Award - Telugu in the Best Director category, and the Filmfare Award for Best Director - Telugu at the 66th Filmfare Awards South.
Ashwin has been a director and screenwriter for the Netflix anthology Pitta Kathalu (2021). In 2021, he worked as a producer for Jathi Ratnalu (2021) as well.- Producer
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An accomplished and award-winning producer-director-writer-actor-singer, Farhan Akhtar is the ultimate Bollywood multi-hyphenate. Born in 1974 to prolific Indian film writer and poet, Javed Akhtar and writer-director, Honey Irani , Farhan was raised in an environment where creativity and originality of thought were encouraged. This has made him a maverick whose films reflect refreshingly new content that easily strikes a chord with filmgoers.
In 1999, Farhan collaborated with Ritesh Sidhwani, a friend who shared his passion for good cinema, to form Excel Entertainment, a production banner that has become synonymous with excellence in film-making.
Debuting at the age of 26, as a writer, director, and producer with Dil Chahta Hai (2001) a coming-of-age film that has gained cult status, Farhan came to be lauded for his honest, path-breaking writing and his ability to extract mature performances from his cast. The film won Farhan his first National Award for 'Best Hindi Feature Film' along with Filmfare awards for 'Best Feature Film - Critics Choice' and 'Best Screenplay'.
Almost two decades later, this film continues to influence a generation of filmmakers.
Seven years after his dream debut as a writer-director, Farhan debuted as an actor-singer in Rock On!! (2008) Yet another runaway success, the film secured him a second National Award for 'Best Hindi Feature Film' and a Filmfare award for 'Best Debut Performance'.
The dream run continued with Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara (2011) which released in 2011 to much popular and critical acclaim, winning him three Filmfare awards for 'Best Film', 'Best Actor in a supporting role' and 'Best Dialogue'.
His next, a biopic on Indian athlete Milkha Singh, popularly known as 'the Flying Sikh', was entitled Bhaag Milkha Bhaag (2013).
He essayed the role with such integrity that it set the standard for other actors considering to play titular protagonists in biopics. Deservingly, Farhan swept all awards that year for 'Best Actor' as did the film for 'Best Film'. It also claimed the National award for 'Best Popular Film providing Wholesome Entertainment.'
His most recent release The Sky Is Pink (2019) premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival and received a 15-minute standing ovation from the audience at the Roy Thomson Hall.
In addition to his contribution to Indian cinema, Farhan has initiated and supported a plethora of social causes. In 2012, he founded MARD (Men against Rape & Discrimination), an initiative that raises awareness about gender-related issues amongst the youth of India. Recognizing his sustained efforts, Farhan was made the first male UNwomen goodwill ambassador (South Asia) in 2014.
Additionally, Farhan feeds his passion for music by writing, composing and performing live with his band FarhanLive.
His English language debut album 'Echoes' released in March 2019 to critical acclaim.
He has 2 daughters and lives in Mumbai, India.- Writer
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Nitesh Tiwari is an Indian film director, screenwriter, and lyricist. He was born and raised in Tiwari family at Itaasi, Madhya Pradesh. He graduated from the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay, in 1996 with a Bachelor's degree in Metallurgy and Material Science Engineering. He is married to Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari, who was his colleague and creative director at Leo Burnett. She is also a film director, producer, and writer.
He made his directorial debut by co-directing Chillar Party (2011), which won the National Film Award for Best Children's Film for that year. He then directed the supernatural political drama Bhoothnath Returns (2014).
In 2016, Tiwari scripted and directed Dangal which was screened at the Beijing International Film Festival in April 2017 and the second annual BRICS Film Festival in June 2017.
He has garnered the Filmfare Award for Best Director at the 62nd Filmfare Awards, and the Telstra People's Choice Award at the 2017 Indian Film Festival of Melbourne. His next, Chhichhore (2019), a comedy, earned him numerous nominations and acclaim as well.- Writer
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Sudha Kongara was born on 29 March 1989 in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, India. She is a writer and director, known for Soorarai Pottru (2020), Irudhi Suttru (2016) and Guru (2017).- Writer
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Vamsy started writing stories from the age of 15, his first story is "Satya Sundari Navvindi" was read in All India Radio in 1975., and has also written 2 novels "Manchu Pallaki" & "Karma Sakshi" which were published in "Andhra Jyothy Weekly" before beginning his film career.
In 1976 he started to explore his career in Madras started working with V. Madhusudhan Rao as assistant director for many films, later worked as an assistant director to K Viswanath on Sankarabharanam, Bharathiraja on Seethakoka Chiluka before making his first film Manchupallaki with Chiranjeevi, Suhasini,Tripuraneni Sai Chand and Rajendra Prasad in 1982. This movie was a remake of the Tamil film Palaivana Solai directed by Robert-Rajasekaran.[1] In 1984, Vamsy made the critically acclaimed Sitaara, with which he introduced Bhanupriya to the Telugu film industry. The movie was adapted from his own novel Mahal lo Kokila (The Nightingale in the Palace). The movie won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Telugu. In 1985, he made 'Preminchu Pelladu', the first movie with Rajendra Prasad as the sole lead.[2]
For a significant period of his career, Vamsy collaborated with the music director Ilayaraja, and their duo had produced best music in Telugu till date. Some of their best work has been in co-operation with each other. The two were so attuned to each other's way of thinking that for a song in his movie Ladies Tailor, Vamsy shot the song picturization ("Ekkada Ekkada") before the song was recorded by music director.[3] This is against the norm as usually the songs are recorded first and the filming made later in most movies.
Vamsy is also closely associated with Bapu (director) and had most of Bapu's lifetime work done for Vamsy with over 400 arts for his stories and Bapu (director) also designed all Vamsy's film titles. Vamsy directed a documentary "Bommarshi Bapu" and won a Nandi Award for Best Director from the State Government of Andhra Pradesh in 1996.
Vamsy is considered Golden Hand and has introduced many actors and technicians to the film industry like Rajendra Prasad (actor), Tanikella Bharani, Bhanupriya, Mallikarjuna Rao (actor), Maharshi Raghava, Kondavalasa, Pradeep Shakthi, Krishna Bhagavaan, Shantipriya, Hamsa Nandini, ...and many others., Introduced vilan role Jeeva (Telugu actor) as comedian.
He has published a short stories compilation called Maa Pasalapudi Kathalu. Besides that compilation, Vamsy has written a wide variety of short stories since 1974 when he was 16 years old. His major works include Mahallo kokila, Manchupallaki, Aa Naati Vaana Chinukulu, Venditera Kathalu (original scripts of Sankarabharanam and Anveshana), Vennela Bomma, Gokulam lo Radha, Ravvala kinda, Sree seetarama lanchi service Rajahmundry, Manyam rani, Rangularatnam. He has penned around 360 short stories published in Swathi (magazine) weekly under the title "Maa Diguwa Godavari Kathalu" For his contributions to the art of storytelling with a native approach through his books he was bestowed with "Sripada Puraskhaaram" at Rajamundry on 17 April 2011.
He also directed a TV serial named Lady Detective for ETV (Telugu) which was aired every Thursday in 1995-96.
Year Title Notes 2017 Fashion Designer s/o Ladies Tailor 2016 Vennello Hai Hai 2010 Saradaga Kasepu 2009 Gopi Gopika Godavari 2007 Anumanaspadam 2004 Konchem touch lo unte chepthanu 2003 Donga Ramudu and Party 2002 Avunu Valliddaru Ista Paddaru 1998 W/O V.Varaprasad 1995 Lingababu Love Story 1994 Neeku 16 Naaku 18 1994 Prema & Co 1993 Joker 1992 Detective Narada 1990 April 1st Vidudhala 1989 Swarakalpana 1989 Chettu Kinda Pleader 1988 Sri Kanaka Mahalaxmi Recording Dance Troupe 1988 Maharshi 1987 Lawyer Suhasini 1986 Ladies Tailor 1985 Aalaapana 1985 Preminchu Pelladu 1985 Anveshana 1984 Sitaara - National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Telugu 1982 Manchupallaki- Writer
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Bommarillu Baskar was born on 23 September 1976 in Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India. He is a writer and director, known for Parugu (2008), Bommarillu (2006) and Orange (2010).- Writer
- Director
- Actor
Radha Krishna Jagarlamudi was born on 10 November 1978 in Guntur, Andhra Pradesh, India. He is a writer and director, known for Kanche (2015), Gabbar Is Back (2015) and Vedam (2010).- Writer
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- 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
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Gunasekhar is a Telugu Film Director and Screenwriter. Born on the 2nd of June,1964 in the coastal village of Narsipatnam in the Vizag district of Andhra Pradesh in India, he pursued his Bachelors in Commerce at Vishakhapatnam.
Gunasekhar, being an avid reader and movie buff right from when he was in school, had keen interest in Telugu literature and also wrote a few short stories and novels. He is also a theatre enthusiast and took part in several plays, and worked alongside noteworthy Telugu playwrights. With the artistic love and great inclination towards the indian film industry, he then moved to Chennai to pursue the same.
He started out as an Assistant Writer under Film Writer Kasi Viswanadh and then worked as an Assistant Director under veteran writer D.V.Narsaraju ,then under Director Kranthi Kumar and later went on to be the Associate Director for Ram Gopal Varma. He then made his debut with lathi(1992) as a director and story-screenplay writer ,he went on to win the prestigious AP State Nandi Award for the Best Directorial Debut for it. Lathi also won the AP State Awards in the categories of Cinematography and editing. He then made Sogasu Chooda Tharama(1995 ) starring Naresh and Indraja, the film not just garnered great critical acclaim but also impeccable response from the audience ,and then went on to win the AP State Nandi Awards in several categories like Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Screenplay, Best Film,etc. It is a film that is a part of the viewing curriculum in many famous dramatic and media institutions. Gunasekhar then made the Epic Ramayanam (1997 ), a fresh new take on the widely famous mythology, he made this one with a cast composing of all children in between the ages of 4-12years. It is with this film that Jr.NTR made his debut and played the role of Rama. This film too went on to win several State awards and also won the prestigious National Award ( Best Children's Film). Ramayanam was screened at the International Children's Film Festival of India (ICFFI) 1998. Gunasekhar then got the chance to direct Megastar Chiranjeevi in Choolani Vundi (1998 ) which turned out to be a massive blockbuster and stood out as the highest grosser in South India of that year. Gunasekhar is the first ever to introduce the DTS sound with this film in Andhra Pradesh. The film was later remade in Hindi as Calcutta Mail(2003) .Gunasekhar also worked with Chiranjeevi for the film Mrugaraju (2001). His Manoharam( 2000) starring actors Jagapati Babu and Laya made a mark in the hearts of the audience and won the AP State Nandi Award for Best story, Best Screenplay, Best Actor, Best Actress ,etc.
Gunasekhar then set out to make Okkadu(2003) with Mahesh Babu, set in the backdrop of the old city of Hyderabad, the entire streets and the famous Charminar was replicated on a massive scale for this film. It went on to be the biggest blockbuster ever for Mahesh Babu and Gunasekhar. It is lauded as one among the Telugu Film Industry Hits and is regarded by many as a trendsetter. Gunasekhar was awarded the Filmfare (Best Director) and the film won several laurels in many categories setting a record at the state level for being the only film ever to win 8 Nandi Awards. Okkadu was remade in several other languages, as Ghilli(2004) in Tamil starring Vijay and as Ajay( 2006) in Kannada starring Puneet Rajkumar both became phenomenal hits.It was also remade in Hindi as Boney Kapoor's Tevar starring Arjun Kapoor and Sonakshi Sinha. Okkadu is among the films actively studied by film students in several film institutes. Mahesh-Gunasekhar duo went on to make consecutive films together in Telugu, Arjun(2005) and Sainikudu(2007). Madhura Meenakshi temple of the temple city of Madurai Tamil Nadu was replicated for the film Arjun spanning across 5 Acres in Hyderabad , the movie went on to be a hit, got MAA tv CineMAA awards for Best Director, Best Actor, a Filmfare (Best Supporting Actress) and also won the Nandi award in the categories of Art direction and best supporting actress.Arjun was screened at the International Film Festival of India (IFFI)2006. He then made Varudu (2010) starring Allu Arjun which won 3 Nandi Awards for Best VFX, Best Art Direction and Costumes, and Nippu (2012) starring Ravi Teja. It is to be noted that with the exception of one or two, all of his films won prestigious awards in diverse categories and remain noted among the critics.
Gunasekhar's latest work is lauded as 'India's First Historical Stereoscopic 3D Film', it is the historical biopic of the 13th century Kakatiya Queen Rudhramadevi, said to be an inspiration to him from his childhood. Gunasekhar mentioned in several interviews of his that the history of Rani Rudhramadevi was a part of his Eight grade syllabus at school and that it etched a great mark of inspiration in his heart from that tender age ,with that he turned a producer to bring his dream to reality, under the banner Gunaa Teamworks. Anushka Shetty plays the titular role and Stylish star Allu Arjun plays the pivotal role of Gona Ganna Reddy in it. Rudhramadevi(2015) is the only historical film to have been made after about 3 decades in Telugu. The budget spans over 80 crores, marking it as the only Female-centric film to be ever made on such a scale in the history of indian cinema. Rudhramadevi opened to a massive craze worldwide in four languages Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam and Hindi.The awards and laurels for this memorable film of his started with the 'Delhi Telugu Academy' and the 'K.V.Reddy' Memorial awards.He was also awarded the famous Telugu daily,Sakshi Media Group's- 'Sakshi Excellence Award' in the field of direction for the year 2015, he then received MAAtv's 'CineMaa Award' for his work along with Anushka and Allu Arjun also bagging 'CineMaa' awards for their phenomenal performance in the film, they've also received Best Actress and Best Actor respectively on other prestigious accolades like the 'Filmfare' Awards and at international forums like 'SIIMA'. Apart from garnering critical appreciation the film stands as the highest grosser for a Female oriented film ever in South India and collected over 100 crores worldwide and crossed the $1Million mark in the overseas. Gunasekhar remains the only director in the recent era of telugu cinema to have directed diverse genres like Mythology and Historical apart from social films.- Writer
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Chandrasekhar Yeleti is a film maker working prominently in Telugu film industry. He is well-known for his original and highly creative concepts contrary to his peers. He started his career shooting 'Janmabhoomi' ads for the state government of Andhra Pradesh in collaboration with K. Raghavendra Rao. He next ventured into Television and is one of the creators of hugely popular 'Amrutham' TV series then aired on Gemini TV. He also directed the pilot and 10 episodes of the serial.
After the success of 'Amrutham', in 2003, Chandrasekhar made his feature film debut with 'Aithe'. It was a big hit commercially and also won over the critics with its intelligent screenplay. 'Aithe' went on to win 'National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Telugu' and several State Nandi awards. In 2005, he directed the critically acclaimed 'Anukokunda Oka Roju', an epitome of master storytelling. 'Anukokunda Oka Roju' won Nandi award for Screenplay.
He later directed 3 more films Okkadunnadu, Prayanam and Sahasam. All his films till date have been received well by both critics and audience.- Writer
- Director
Mohana Krishna Indraganti was born on 17 April 1972 in Andhra Pradesh, India. He is a writer and director, known for Grahanam (2004), V (2020) and Sammohanam (2018).- Director
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- Producer
Vikram K. Kumar was born on 1 September 1975 in Thrissur, Kerala, India. He is a director and writer, known for Manam (2014), 13B: Fear Has a New Address (2009) and 24 (2016). He is married to Srinidhi Venkatesh.- Director
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- Producer
Sudheer Varma came from a small village called Konithiwada near Bhimavaram, west Godavari dist. Andhra Pradesh. Sudheer Varma worked as an assistant director for films, Angrez, Hyderabad Nawabs, ninna nedu repu, yuvatha, Anjineyulu, VeduTheda. Swamy Ra Ra is his directorial debut. He made this crime comedy with a fresh flavor that amazed audience.. The success of the film has won the confidence of Akkineni Nagarjuna and he is given a chance to direct Naga Chaitanya[1] for his second film.- Director
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- 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
- Director
- Additional Crew
Jandhyala was born on 14 January 1951 in Narsapur, Andhra Pradesh, India. He was a writer and director, known for Amarajeevi (1983), Chantabbai (1986) and Hai Hai Nayaka (1989). He died on 19 June 2001 in Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India.- Director
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- Actor
Kodi Ramakrishna was born on 23 July 1949 in Palakollu, Andhra Pradesh, India. He was a director and writer, known for Arundhati (2009), Gudachari No.1 (1983) and Devi Putrudu (2001). He died on 22 February 2019 in Hyderabad, India.- 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.- Actor
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- 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
- Producer
- Director
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 equally appreciated by the public and the critics. Not just a filmmaker but a writer too, Neeraj has written a novel named 'Ghalib Danger' in 2013. He also directed the movie Baby (2015) starring Akshay Kumar which received critical acclaim from the audience and was a huge success.The movie Rustom which was produced by Neeraj, was released on 12 August 2016 and received mixed reviews by critics but was a runaway commercial success. His last movie was a biopic on cricketer M.S.Dhoni titled M.S. Dhoni: The Untold Story which was loved by the audience.. He aims at making more commercial content in the sports genre. Neeraj has carved a niche for himself in the film industry with his adept handling of different topics and is one of the most sought after Directors of his generation.
In 2016, his Production House Friday Filmworks and Reliance Entertainment entered into a joint venture and formed Plan C Studios.
He has also directed a Web Short 'Ouch' with Manoj Bajpayee and Pooja Chopra which is nominated for Filmfare Short Film Award 2017. As the co-producer, his recent blockbuster Toilet- Ek Prem Katha is getting critical appreciation from the film industry and the audience. His upcoming movie is Aiyaary which is set to release on 2018 starring Sidharth Malhotra and Manoj Bajpayee- Writer
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Arun Kumar ( born 21 September 1986 ) mononymously known as Atlee, is a film director, screenwriter and producer who predominantly works in Tamil cinema. As a film maker, he is known for his directorial debut "Raja Rani", starring Nayathara, Nazriya, Arya and Jai, produced by Fox Star Studios, for which he was awarded best debut director by Vijay Awards and Tamil Nadu Sate award for best dialogue writer. Following the massive success of his debut film, he directed his next blockbuster hit " Theri " (2016) starring actor Vijay as the lead. He directed his next films " Mersal " ( 2017 ) and " Bigil " ( 2019 ), also featuring actor Vijay. Atlee's upcoming film is Jawan, starring Shah Rukh Khan, Vijay Sethupathy and Nayanthara in the lead roles. The film is produced by Red Chillies Entertainment and is scheduled for release in June 2023 in five languages.- Cinematographer
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K.V. Anand was born on 30 October 1966 in Madras, India. He was a cinematographer and writer, known for Ayan (2009), Maattrraan (2012) and Ko (2011). He died on 30 April 2021 in Chennai, India.- Writer
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- Producer
Lokesh Kanagaraj is an Indian film director who works primarily in the Tamil film industry who started his film career with the 2016 anthology film called Aviyal.He was born in Kinathukadavu, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India. He majored in fashion technology before pursuing his MBA. He was an ex bank employee. He pursued his passion which is towards film making by participating in a corporate short film competition. The judge of the competition was director Karthick Subbaraj. He then encouraged Lokesh to continue making films.- Writer
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- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Dasaradh, born (Kondapalli Dasarath Kumar or Kondapalli Dasaradh Kumar or Dasaradh Telugu, is an Indian film, screenwriter, dialogue writer and director in Telugu cinema. He has directed blockbusters like Santosham and Mr PerfectBefore coming to films, he worked for TV Media as a Screenplay and dialogue writer for four soap opera. with noted author and writer, Yandamuri Veerendranath. He has also worked as associate director for Veera Shankar's film Hello I Love You, Tulasi Kumar's film Harischandra, YVS Chowdary's film Yuvaraju, Teja's film Chitram, Nuvvu Nenu, Family Circus and B. V. Ramana's film Subhavela- Actor
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Prabhu Deva, born in Mysuru, Karnataka, India, is a multi-talented Indian actor, choreographer, and film director who has left an indelible mark on the Indian entertainment industry. Often referred to as the "Indian Michael Jackson" for his exceptional dance skills, Prabhu Deva is known for his contributions to both Bollywood and South Indian cinema.
Prabhu Deva initially rose to fame as a choreographer in the Indian film industry. His unique dance style and innovative choreography quickly garnered attention and earned him widespread acclaim. He worked on numerous hit songs and became one of the most sought-after choreographers in the 1990s.
In addition to his choreography career, Prabhu Deva ventured into acting. He made his debut as a lead actor in the Tamil film "Indhu" (1994) and went on to establish himself as a successful actor in the South Indian film industry. His performances in films like "Kadhalan" (1994) and "Minsara Kanavu" (1997) showcased not only his acting prowess but also his exceptional dance skills.
Prabhu Deva's popularity transcended regional boundaries, and he made his mark in Bollywood as well. He gained widespread recognition for his performance in the film "Wanted" (2009), which marked his Hindi film debut as a lead actor. The film's success paved the way for his subsequent Bollywood ventures, including "Rowdy Rathore" (2012) and "R... Rajkumar" (2013).
Apart from acting and choreography, Prabhu Deva has made significant contributions as a film director. He has directed successful films in multiple languages, including the critically acclaimed Tamil film "Kaadhalan" (1994) and the Hindi film "Singh is Bling" (2015).
Prabhu Deva's influence on the Indian film industry extends beyond his individual achievements. His dance school, Prabhu Deva's Dance Academy, has contributed to nurturing talent in the field of dance.
Prabhu Deva remains an influential figure in Indian cinema, continuing his successful career in acting, choreography, and filmmaking.- Writer
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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
- Cinematographer
- Director
Teja is an Indian film director. He directed many blockbusters such as Chitram, Nuvvu Nenu, Jayam, and Nijam. Teja made a slam bang entry into Tollywood with a string of blockbusters. In the year 2000, Teja changed the face of Telugu cinema with his revolutionary film Chitram.
Teja was born in Madras, Tamil Nadu into one of the richest of business families in India. Due to the unfortunate demise of both his parents, Teja ran away from home and did all sorts of odd jobs to finally stumble upon the TV industry. He did many assignments for documentaries presented in National Geographic Channel. He later worked with Ram Gopal Varma on films like Shiva (Telugu), Kshana Kshanam, Rangeela etc. He made his cinematographry debut with Raat/Raathri. Teja once in conversation with Ramoji Rao said it was possible to shoot an entire film in Ramoji Film City with a very small budget. The film, Chitram, became a huge hit and revolutionized Telugu cinema. After this there was no turning back, Teja directed super hits such as Family circus, Nuvvu Nenu, etc. In the year 2002, Teja set up his own Production company, Chitrammovies and produced/directed Jayam. Jayam is one of the biggest hits of Telugu cinema and grossed Rupees 32 crore. Later Teja directed Nijam starring Super star Mahesh Babu. Teja is known to encourage new talent. He introduced many of today's superstars such as Kajal Agarwal, Nithin Reddy, Navadeep, Ileana Dcruz, Sunil etc.- Writer
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- Producer
E.V.V. Satyanarayana was born on 10 June 1956 in Dommeru, Andhra Pradesh, India. He was a writer and director, known for Fitting Master (2009), Nuvvante Nakistam (2005) and Hello Brother (1994). He died on 21 January 2011 in Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India.- Director
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- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Gopichand Malineni was born on 12 June 1979 in Hyderabad, Telangana. He is a director and writer, known for Krack (2021), Balupu (2013) and Veera Simha Reddy (2023). He is married to Sri Satya.- Director
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Kadiri Venkata Reddy was born on 1 July 1912 in Tadpatri, Andhra Pradesh, India. He was a director and writer, known for Shri Krishna Satya (1971), Sri Krishnarjuna Yudham (1963) and Pathala Bhairavi (1951). He was married to Seshamma. He died on 15 September 1972.- Writer
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K. V. Vijayendra Prasad (born Koduri Venkata Vijayendra Prasad) is an Indian film screen writer, and director known for his works in Telugu cinema and Bollywood. In 2011, he directed ;Rajanna' which won the Nandi Award for Best Feature Film.
Since 1988, he was the screen writer for more than 25 films, most of which turned out to be block busters.His recent works include Baahubali : The Beginning, and Bajrangi Bhaijaan which became biggest blockbusters of the year, for which Prasad won the Filmfare Award for Best Story.
Prasad is the father of film maker @S. S. Rajamouli and uncle to music composers M. M. Keeravani, M.M. Srilekha, Kalyani Malik, and writer S.S. Kanchi.- Director
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- Music Department
Priyadarshan is an Indian film director and screenwriter. He has worked in the Hindi and Malayalam film industry for almost 40 years and has directed over 90 films.
He completed his early education at Government Model School in Thiruvananthapuram. He later pursued his bachelor's degree from Mahatma Gandhi College and Master of Arts in Philosophy from University College Thiruvananthapuram. Priyadarshan was a voracious reader, which sparked his interest in writing and led him to write short plays and skits for All India Radio in college.
He began his career in the Malayalam Film Industry in the early 1980s. He started his career as a director with Poochakkoru Mookkuthi (1984) in 1984. The film did surprisingly well and ran for almost 100 days in theatres across Kerala. He continued this slapstick comedy style and later made Oodarathuammava Aalariyam (1984) and Onnanam Kunnil Oradi Kunnil (1985).
Later that year, he demonstrated versatility by directing the crime drama Parayanumvayya Parayathirikkanumvayya (1985). In the same year, Priyadarshan made his first film with Mohanlal titled Punnaram Cholli Cholli (1985).
1988 was a landmark year in Priyadarshan's career. He directed Vellanakalude Naadu (1988) with Mohanlal in the lead role. It was a political satire crime film that revolved around the prevalent corruption in the country. The film was the biggest hit of that year and successfully ran for 200 days in theatres.
Later that year, he directed and released Chithram (1988), his career's biggest hit. The film completed 366 days in the theatres and broke all the records of his previous collections.
Later, these records were broken by his other film, Kilukkam (1991), released in 1991. Kilukkam starred Mohanlal, Revathi, and Jagathy Sreekumar in lead roles. Priyadarshan's next three releases - Abhimanyu (1991), Advaitham (1991), and Thenmavin Kombath (1994) were also commercially successful and ran for 100 days in the theatres.
Priyadarshan actively worked in the Malayalam film industry for almost two decades (the 1980s and 1990s). After this, he took a short break from Malayalam cinema. He then started focusing on Hindi cinema. He worked as a director and screenwriter in Hindi cinema for nearly a decade.
Priyadarshan debuted in Hindi cinema with Muskurahat (1992), a remake of his film Kilukkam. While the movie didn't perform well at the box office, he made a comeback with the action-crime film Gardish (1993), starring Jackie Shroff. The film was a massive hit, earning two Filmfare Awards for Best Action and Best Art Direction.
In 2000, Priyadarshan directed the comedy movie Hera Pheri (2000) starring Akshay Kumar, Suniel Shetty, and Paresh Rawal. The movie is an Indian cult classic and is considered one of the best comedy films in the history of Hindi cinema. Priyadarshan's career in Bollywood took off after Hera Pheri (2000), and he went on to direct comedy blockbusters such as Hungama (2003), Garam Masala (2005), and Phir Hera Pheri (2006).
In 2021, he directed the period drama Marakkar: Lion of the Arabian Sea (2021), set in the 16th century. The film, starring Mohanlal, earned Priyadarshan the National Film Award for Best Feature Film.
Priyadarshan has been awarded several state and national awards for his work in Hindi and Malayalam cinema. He won the Filmfare Award for Best Film (Critics) for Virasat (1997) in 1997 and the Filmfare Award for Best Director in 2009 for his movie Kanchivaram (2008). In addition to his cinema accolades, the then President of India also awarded Priyadarshan a Padma Shri in 2012 for his contribution to Indian cinema.- Composer
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Vishal Bhardwaj is an Indian film director, writer, composer, singer and producer. He has directed ten feature films, produced five and composed music for more than forty. His directorial work includes Makdee, The Blue Umbrella, Kaminey, 7 Khoon Maaf, Matru Ki Bijli Ka Mandola, Rangoon, Pataakha as well as the internationally acclaimed Shakespeare Trilogy - Maqbool, Omkara and Haider (adapted from Macbeth, Othello and Hamlet, respectively). Prominent films written and produced by him are Ishqiya, Dedh Ishqiya and Talvar (based on the Noida double murder case).
He has received 3 international awards: Makdee (2002) received the Best Film award at the Chicago International Children's Film Festival, Omkara (2006) won the Best Artistic Contribution in Cinema award at the Cairo International Film Festival and Haider (2014) won the People's Choice award at the Rome Film Festival. He has also received 7 National Awards: Best Music Direction for Godmother (1999), Best Children's Film for The Blue Umbrella (2005), Special Jury Award for Omkara (2006), Best Music Direction for Ishqiya (2010), Best Dialogues and Best Music Direction for Haider (2014) and Best Screenplay for Talvar (2015).- Writer
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Five feature films, three short films, one web series, six Filmfare awards, an Emmy nomination and India's official entry to the Oscars outlines Zoya Akhtar's unique ability to tell stories that break the conventional norms and create waves globally.
Zoya's directorial journey began with Luck By Chance (2009), followed by Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara (2011), Dil Dhadakne Do (2015), and the internationally acclaimed Gully Boy (2019), which have since acquired cult status, and won numerous global awards and accolades. The globally celebrated series Made in Heaven (2019) for Amazon Prime and the international Emmy nominated Lust Stories (2018) for Netflix have further extended Zoya's reach as a universal storyteller. Zoya's most recent directorial, The Archies (2023) is the official adaptation and the first ever feature film of the globally revered Archie comics.
Through Tiger Baby, Zoya has also turned producer - with Made in Heaven (2019), Eternally Confused and Eager for Love (2022), Dahaad (2023), The Archies (2023) and Kho Gaye Hum Kahan (2023) already under her belt, and many more exciting projects to come!- Writer
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Anjali is a leading Indian film director and screenwriter. She completed her post-graduate degree from London Film School with honors in editing, producing, and directing film; her graduation film Black Nor White premiered at the Palm Springs International Film Festival and received the BFI award for Best Short Film. Anjali made her writing and directorial debut with the feature Manjadikuru (Lucky Red Seeds), a coming of age drama set in 1979, for which she received the FIPRESCI award for Best Malayalam Film and Best Indian Debut. Anjali has also written the critically and commercially acclaimed Ustad Hotel, for which she received the National Film Award for Best Screenplay - Dialogues. Her next feature film, Bangalore Days, revolving around the life of three Malayali cousins, emerged as a cult classic. Anjali's feature film Koode, showcasing issues of caste, migration, and child sexual harassment while dealing with themes of loss and solace, released to wide critical and commercial success in India and internationally. Having worked on projects in India, the Middle East, and the UK, Anjali's films provide a nuanced insight into the migrant experience and cross cultural interactions and she has received multiple National and State awards for her work in cinema. Her recent film Wonder Women delicately makes us aware of the beliefs, confusion, and questions regarding pregnancy and childbirth. Anjali is also one of the founding members of the Women in Cinema Collective (WCC), an organization that focuses on gender equality in the Malayalam film industry. She started a production company, Little Films India, in 2006 where she leads content and production affairs. Anjali is currently developing her next feature film and an anthology for a leading production house.- Additional Crew
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Raghava Lawrence, also known as Lawrence Raghavendra, is an Indian actor, dancer, dance choreographer, director, and playback singer.
Lawrence appeared in a song sequence from the film Samsara Sangeetham (1989). After that, he acted in Donga Police (1992), also dancing along with Prabhu Deva.
Passionate about dancing, he appeared in the popular song Gentleman (1993) as a background dancer. He further acted in Rakshana (1993), Mutamestri (1993), and Allari Priyudu (1993).
Noticing his dancing talent, actor Chiranjeevi gave him a chance to choreograph dance items for Hitler (1997) and Master (1997). After that, producer TVD Prasad cast him as the male lead in his film Speed Dancer (1999).
Lawrence continued to play minor roles in Tamil films, such as Unnai Kodu Ennai Tharuven (2000) and Parthen Rasithen (2000). In 2001, he won the Filmfare Award for Best Dance Choreographer - South for Paarthale Paravasam (2001). Incidentally, this was Director K. Balachander's 100th film.
He then played the male lead in Arputham (2002) and a cameo in Thendral (2004).
Lawrence became a debutant director with the Telugu film Mass (2004), starring Jyotika and Nagarjuna Akkineni.
He got his big break with the Telugu film Style (2006). This film won him the Filmfare Award for Best Dance Choreographer - South and the Nandi Award for Best Choreographer.
Raghava continued to act in more films, including Pandi (2008), Rajadhi Raja (2009), and Irumbukkottai Murattu Singam (2010). He then directed, wrote, and starred in Kanchana: Muni 2 (2011).
He directed Rebel (2012), starring Tamannaah Bhatia and Prabhas. He also appeared in Kanchana 2 (2015), Motta Shiva Ketta Shiva (2017), and Sivalinga (2017), which was remade from the original Kannada film of the same name.
He continued with the Kanchana series, again writing, directing, and acting in Kanchana 3 (2019).
In 2020, Lawrence debuted as a Bollywood director with the Hindi film Laxmii (2020). This was a remake of Kanchana: Muni 2 (2011).- Writer
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Hanumanth Rao Raghavapudi aka Hanu Raghavapudi is an Indian film director and screenwriter who works primarily in the Telugu film industry. He made his directorial debut with Andala Rakshasi and later directed films such as Krishna Gadi Veera Prema Gaadha, LIE, Padi Padi Leche Manasu, and Sita Ramam. He has graduated with MCA and went on to work as an Assistant/Associate Director for Aithe, Okkadunnadu and Anukokunda Oka Roju. He has made his Pan Indian debut with Sita Ramam starring Dulquer Salman and Mrunal Thakur which was very well received by audience across languages and achieved cult status.- Director
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Mari Selvaraj was born on 7 March 1984 in Tamil Nadu, India. He is a director and writer, known for Pariyerum Perumal (2018), Karnan (2021) and Maamannan (2023). He is married to Divya Mari Selvaraj.- Writer
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Kona Venkat was born on 19 February 1965 in Bapatla, Andhra Pradesh, India. He is a writer and producer, known for Mom (2017), Sankarabharanam (2015) and Satya (1998).- Writer
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Indian filmmaker Rohit Shetty is well-known for his high-octane films with breath-takin action scenes and exciting storylines. Rohit is the son of Ratna, a young Hindi cinema artist, and late Hindi film stunt coordinator M.B. Shetty. He was raised alongside his four siblings, Kiran Shetty, Chaya Shetty, Uday Shetty as well as Hriday Shetty.
When he was 17, he began his career in film as an assistant director on Kuku Kohli's Phool Aur Kaante (1991). He went on to assist him for several years after that and assisted him in films like Haqeeqat (1995) and Zulmi (1999).
Following that, he went on to work with Ajay Devgn in the romantic comedy Pyaar To Hona Hi Tha (1998), the military movie Hindustan Ki Kasam (1999), and the comic film Raju Chacha (2000) in order to hone his craft.
At the age of 30, Shetty directed his first movie, Zameen (2003)- the Ajay Devgn-starring action thriller was a financial success in Bollywood. His subsequent motion picture, Golmaal: Fun Unlimited (2006), was an immediate success with audiences- it garnered him a cult of devoted fans. One of the film's leading actors, Tusshar Kapoor, won his first IIFA Award for his performance as the mute child Lucky Gill.
In 2008, he directed the comedy-drama Sunday (2008), which featured renowned stars like [;ink=nm1779702] and Ajay Devgn. Golmaal Returns (2008)' is the sequel of Golmaal: Fun Unlimited (2006), which was released in the same year, 2008. Shreyas Talpade and Kareena Kapoor were added to the cast for the movie's second part- it received both laudatory and scathing reviews but did rather well at the box office, grossing over Rs 720 million worldwide in its first week.
2010 saw the filming of both Golmaal 3 and the critically acclaimed action-film Singham (2011), in which Ajay Devgn starred as a police officer fighting injustice. There was universal acclaim for Singham (2011), a film that pays homage to action movies of the 1970s, and it was a huge financial success. Prakash Raj's portrayal of the villain Jaikant Shikre stood out, and the IIFA awarded him Best Performance in a Negative Performance. After the movie came out, it was praised for its great action scenes and acting.
Up next for Shetty was the comedy-drama Bol Bachchan (2012), which starred Abhishek Bachchan and Ajay Devgn- the film was warmly received in India, and it fared well at the box office. He then went on to helm the film Chennai Express (2013), starring Shah Rukh Khan and Deepika Padukone, the following year. At its release, the film had become the highest-grossing Bollywood film in India and the third-highest-grossing Bollywood film worldwide.
Shetty started his own production company, Rohit Shetty Productions, around 2014. Their filmography included the sequel Singham Returns (2014) and the blockbuster Dilwale (2015), the latter marked the much-anticipated reunion of Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol.
Other renowned films that Shetty directed include the supernatural comedy Golmaal Again (2017) and the action comedy Simmba (2018)- Ranveer Singh, and Sara Ali Khan played the male and female leads in the second movie, respectively. Two more films followed this blockbuster, Sooryavanshi (2021) and Cirkus (2022). From 2009 to 2010, Shetty was a panelist on the TV show Comedy Circus (2018). He also hosted several seasons of the Indian version of Fear Factor (2017).- Director
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- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Gopal B. is known for Maska (2009), Mechanic Alludu (1993) and Allari Ramudu (2002). He has been married to Uma Bezawada since 12 August 1986. They have one child.- Director
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Deva Kaushik Katta is an Indian-born American-resident filmmaker who debuted as a successful writer/director on the big screen with the feature film Vennela (Telugu). Deva Katta also made a digital docufeature about Indian students in America which is titled Valasa. He has a Master of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering and is a vehicle crash worthiness expert. He graduated from film school before making 'V'ennela. After a break for about two and a half year, Deva katta is back to the Telugu film industry with an interesting script Prasthanam.- Writer
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Paruchuri Venkateswara Rao was born in Krishna District, Andhra Pradesh, India. He is known for Ganesh (1998), Kai Raja Kai (1984) and Sri Katna Leelalu (1985).- Writer
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- Script and Continuity Department
Dr. Paruchuri Gopala Krishna is an Indian film screen writer, storywriter, dialogue writer, actor, director, poet, playwright, novelist, and orator predominant in Telugu cinema. Gopala Krishna is the youngest brother of Paruchuri Brothers. Paruchuri Brothers (Paruchuri Venkateswara Rao and Paruchuri Gopala Krishna) are writing-duo brothers in the film industry who worked for more than 350 films (including Tamil, Hindi, Malayalam and Kannada) from 1978.
Early Life, Personal life and Education: Dr. Paruchuri Gopala Krishna (born June 1946 in Meduru, Gannavaram Taluq, Krishna District) was the youngest child of his parents Paruchuri Raghaviah and Hymavathamma. He has one elder sister and two elder brothers Paruchuri Venkateswara Rao and Paruchuri Kutumba Rao.
Dr. Gopala Krishna is married to his first cousin, Vijaya Lakshmi. The couple has three children, Paruchuri Hima Bindu, Gottimukkala Naga Sushma who is married to TV and Film Artist, Gottimukkala Jaya Prakash (Screen name Varun) and Kodali Hari Priya who is married to entrepreneur, Kodali Kalyan Prasad. He has two grandsons Pinnamaneni Bhuvana Sai Krishna(S/o Paruchuri Himabindu) and Gottimukkala Karthik and three granddaughters Gottimukkala Vujjaini, Kodali Tanvi and Kodali Medha.
Dr. Gopala Krishna received his B.Sc from the Government City Science College and an M.A Telugu from the Arts College, both affiliated with Osmania University. Later he earned his Ph.D from Osmania University in Telugu Cinema Literature, concentrating on the research topic: 'Telugu Cinema Sahityam - Katha- Kathanam - Silpam' in the year 2003. Dr. Gopala Krishna submitted his thesis to obtain a Doctor of Literature from Berhampur University, Orissa for the research topic: 'Telugu Cinema Story - Social Outlook' in the year 2015 and is waiting on viva. He has also done 'Rashtra Bhasha' in Hindi. He is fluent in Hindi, English and is familiar with Tamil.
Carrer: Lecturer, Head of the Department and Vice Principal (1975 - 1983): Dr. Gopala Krishna worked as a telugu lecturer at Lal Bahdoor Shastri Oriental College, Chinanindra Kolanu, West Godavari from 07-08-1971 to 01-09-1975. Later, he worked as Head of the Department of Telugu in Adusumilli Gopala Krishna & Sugar Cane Growers College, Vuyyuru, Krishna District from 02-09-1975 to 21-10-1981.
Writing and acting (1971 - present): Initially, he started writing small stories, playlets and detective novels which got published in weekly magazines. He played in more than one hundred playlets in Indian theater. In 1978, his brother Paruchuri Venkateswara Rao, who was already in the film industry, advised Gopala Krishna to join him in film writing. As a result, they both started scripting the films as Paruchuri Venkateswara Rao and Paruchuri Gopala Krishna. In 1982, Sri. Nandamuri Taraka Rama Rao proposed the screen name 'Paruchuri Brothers' and since then the writing-duo have been established as successful writers. In 1983, Gopala Krishna first starred in the film 'Ee Piilaku Peelavuthunda', whose story line and dialogues were written by the Paruchuri Brothers. He continued to appear in 47 films as an artist and also continued writing for more than 350 films; to name a few 'E Charithra Ye Siratho', 'Naa Desam', 'Khadi', 'Eenadu', 'Mundadugu', 'Bobbili Brahmanna', 'Prajaswamyam', 'Karthavyam', 'Varsham', 'Sarpayagam', 'Samarsimha Reddy', 'Okkadu', 'Indra', 'Tagore', 'Manasantha Nuvve', 'Nee Sneham', 'Nuvvosthunte Nenoddantaana', 'Shankardada zindabad', 'Drushyam', 'Khaidi No 150', 'Rudrama Devi' and 'Syeera Narasimha Reddy'.
Direction (1984 - Present) In 1984, both the brothers decided to direct film. Their first film as directors, under Srinadh movies, was Kai Raja Kai. Later they directed a total of 9 films, Bhale Thammudu, Sreekatnaleelalu, Repati Swarajyam, Praja Swamyamyam, Maa Telugu Talli, Maro Quit India, Sarpayagam and Singanna.
Television: Dr. Gopala Krishna contributed his services to television as a host, co-host, actor, writer and director. He hosted Gemini TV reality show 'Chilaka Gorinka' in 1996. He hosted 200 episodes of 'Praja Vedika' Gemini TV talk show from 2008 to 2013. He also co-hosted Maa TV reality show 'Andhamina Jeevitham' in 2015 and Maa TV reality show 'Samsaram oka Chadarangam' in 2016. In 2001, he scripted 'Mattimanishi' ETV tele serial for Sri. Akkineni Nageswara Rao. In 2013, he directed 'Sati Savitri' ETV mythological tele film. In the year 2004, he acted in 'Thulabharam' ZEE telugu tele film and 2013, he acted as Nelakanta Sastri in 'Yogi Vemana' historical serial which telecasted in ABN.
Mentor: He's always had a passion for teaching and continues to be Hon. Professor and conducts screenplay classes at Potti Sreeramulu Telugu University, AP Cine Writers Association and Telugu Film Directors Association since 2008.
Social Media: In 2017, he began sharing his knowledge by teaching film script writing classes through his YouTube channel (#ParuchuriPalukulu and #ParuchurPaataalu) for all aspiring writers. These interactive lessons are shared on his other social media accounts, like Facebook and Twitter.
Services: 1) Served as the Chairman for "Official Language Commission", Andhra Pradesh from Feb 2003 to May 2004 2) Served as an Executive Council Member from 1997 to 2005 for "Potti Sreeramulu Telugu University" 3) Served as an Executive Council Member in 2002 for "Movie Artist Association (MAA)" 4) Served as a Director from 2002 to 2004 for "Film Development Corporation", Andhra Pradesh 5) Served as a Honorable President for "A.P. Film Industry Employees Federation" in 2002 6) Served as a Honorable President from 2008 to 2010 for "A.P. Film Industry Employees Federation" 7) Served as a Co-ordination Committee Chairman, "A.P. Film Industry Employees Federation" in 2012 8) Served as a Co-ordination Committee Chairman from 2008 to 2010 for "A.P. Film Directors Association" 9) Served as a Judge for "A.P. State Nandi Drama Competition" in 2006 10) Served as a "Hamsa and Ugadi Purskara Selection Committee member" in 2015 11) Continues to serve as Honorable Professor, "Sri Potti Sreeramulu Telugu University" since 2008 12) Continues to serve as the Co-Ordination Committee Chairman, "Movie Artist Association (MAA)" since 2010 13) Continues to serve as the President of "Telugu Cine Writers Association" since 2007 14) Continues to serve as the Life Member to "Tyagaraya Ganasabha" since 1991 15) Continues to serve as Convener and Trustee to the "Paruchuri Raghubabu Memorial Trust" since 1991 16) Continues to serve as the Chairman to the "Smt. Paruchuri Hymavathy Raghaviah Memorial Trust" since 2012 17) Continues to serve as Chief Advisor of "Shri Rajarajeswari Devi Temple", Film nagar, Hyderabad since 1998 18) Serving as General Secretary to "Film Nagar Daiva Sannidhanam" trust board (Affiliated to 'Visakha Sri Saradapeetham'), Hyderabad since 2018- Writer
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Gopimohan is an Indian screenplay and story writer who works in the Telugu film industry. Gopi Mohan was born in Kurumaddali village Near Vuyyuru, Krishna District of Andhra Pradesh. From childhood, he was passionate about movies. Gopi Mohan worked in the direction department for N.Shankar's 1999 Telugu film Yamajathakudu and B. Gopal's 2000 Telugu film Vamsi. He assisted in script and direction for Teja's 2001 super hit Telugu film Nuvvu Nenu.- Director
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Sriwass was born on 23 November 1980 in Andhra Pradesh, India. He is a director and writer, known for Dictator (2016), Lakshyam (2007) and Rama Rama Krishna Krishna (2010). He is married to Lakshmi.- Writer
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A close friend of Shahrukh Khan, he assisted Yash Chopra's Yash Raj Films during the early days of of his career, making his directorial debut with the mega-hit Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998). He also had a popular chat show named Koffee with Karan (2004) The success of "KKHH" made him one of the most high-profile directors in the Hindi-language Mumbai Film industry, popularly known as Bollywood.
Also a close friend of Aditya Chopra, he has been a creative member of Yash Raj productions such as Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (1995), Veer-Zaara (2004), Dil To Pagal Hai (1997), and Mohabbatein (2000).
Johar's success has guaranteed him worldwide distribution of his production company, Dharma Productions, for many years to come.- Actor
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Ravi Babu was born in Poranki in Andhra Pradesh, schooled in Chennai, Pune and the United States before finally settling down in Hyderabad, India. Born to a famous Telugu film character artiste, Thammareddy Chalapathi Rao who has acted in more than a 1200 films across 48years, Ravi had a normal childhood and went to the best schools in Chennai. After graduation, he went to Pune to complete his Masters in Business Administration from the prestigious Symbiosis Instute of Business Management.
He subsequently worked as an apprentice to noted Advertisment and Film-maker Rajiv Menon for a year before moving to the United States. He enrolled at the Film and Television Workshops in Rockport, Maine but quit shortly because he found the curriculum too rudimentary. He later attended the Sony Institute in San Jose, California for a course in digital online editing. After a stint at the now defunct India Broadcasting Network in New York and TV Asia, initially as a cameraman and editor and later as program producer and director he returned to India. He directed a number of commercials for a Chennai based film production company, Autumncart, before starting his production house Flying Frogs in the year 1999 and has produced and directed numerous commercials and films since then.- Director
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Ram was born on 11 October 1974 in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India. He is a director and writer, known for Peranbu (2018), Thanga Meengal (2013) and Taramani (2017).- Writer
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Shiva Nirvana (born: Siva Sankar Lalam) is is an Indian film director and screenwriter who works in Telugu Cinema. Shiva was born in Vizag, Andhra Pradesh. He completed his studies in Vizag. He is well known for his Debut film Ninnu Kori with Nani as major role. Before working as director Shiva worked as second assistant director for movies like Solo, Sarocharu, Raktha Charithra. Short Films: Love Algebra , One more Smile- Writer
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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.- Writer
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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.