Director
Rajkumar Santoshi is an acclaimed Indian film director, producer, and screenwriter known for his work in Hindi cinema. He has received numerous awards, including three National Film Awards and six Filmfare Awards, establishing himself as a prominent figure in the industry.
Santoshi made his directorial debut with the crime film Ghayal in 1990, featuring Sunny Deol, Meenakshi Sheshadri, and Amrish Puri. The film was a massive success both critically and commercially, earning Santoshi the National Film Award for Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment and the Filmfare Award for Best Director.
He went on to direct the thriller Damini in 1993, starring Sunny Deol, Meenakshi Sheshadri, and Amrish Puri. The film received critical acclaim and achieved commercial success, winning Santoshi his second Filmfare Best Director Award and Filmfare Best Screenplay Award.
Santoshi is also known for directing the comedy Andaz Apna Apna in 1994, featuring Aamir Khan and Salman Khan in the lead roles. Although the film didn't perform well at the box office initially, it has gained a cult following over the years.
In 1996, he directed the action drama Ghatak: Lethal, which was a major commercial success. Santoshi received a Best Director nomination at Filmfare for his work in the film.
One of his notable successes came with the film Barsaat in 1995, which marked the debut of Bobby Deol and Twinkle Khanna in lead roles.
In 2000, Santoshi earned the Nargis Dutt Award for Best Feature Film on National Integration for writing dialogues for the film Pukar.
He followed it up with two moderate commercial successes, the biopic The Legend of Bhagat Singh in 2002 and the action thriller Khakee in 2004. Both films earned Santoshi Best Director nominations at Filmfare.
Santoshi's highest-grossing film to date is the romantic comedy Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani in 2009, starring Ranbir Kapoor and Katrina Kaif, which earned over ₹1.2 billion (US$15 million) at the box office.
Rajkumar Santoshi's contributions to Hindi cinema have garnered him widespread recognition and acclaim, establishing him as a talented filmmaker in the industry.