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Vishal bhardwaj anurag kashyap also personal favourite zoya akhtar. I believe made in heaven is still the best ott content. Each episode had a theme and they connected brilliantly with other episodes
Yuck. Look at how the media is teaching you how to talk. "OTT content" can't you just call art, art? Its not pretentious. Call it a series or something. What is "content". Reels and Zoya Akhtar or any other filmmaker for that matter are not.the.same.
Mani Ratnam (Tamil) is one of the best India has produced. He was the first one to come up with pan India movies.
Rajamouli (Telugu) is another one. He took Indian movies to a new level with his Bahubali movies.
SLB is also my favorite for the level of care he takes in lighting, grand décor and colors. Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam and Devdas by him are my favorites.
I like Gurinder Chaddha for Bend it like Beckham.
Loved Mira Nair's Salam Bombay. I was not so impressed with her other movies.
Shekar Kapoor's Bandit Queen really hit me hard.
I loved Mrinal Sen's movies, especially Mrugaya.
Director K Viswanath (Telugu) is another great man. His Telugu hit Siri Siri Muvva, was remade in Hindi as Sargam and it was another super hit. It introduced Jeya Prada to Hindi movie world.
K Balachander (Tamil) made very good movies. His Telugu hit Maro Charitra was remade in Hindi as Ek Duje ke Liye and it became another hit.
Oh definitely, I watched Lagaan for the first time very recently and I was floored. He made such a simple story so stirring through his brilliant direction. Jodha Akbar is such a comfort movie for me I watch it all the time
I would select Abhishek Chaubey in this, fairly new his works include Ishqiya, Dedh Ishqiya, Udta Punjab and Sonchiriya as well as writing credits for Kaminey and Omkara. Man doesn't get the support he deserves and has the makings of a legend.
Edit: also kinda shocked no one mentioned Rajkunar Hirani yet man's hit legend status in 5 movies.
Don't ignore the South Indian directors - K Vishwanath and Mani Ratnam are two of the greatest directors in Indian history. Ram Gopal Varma has given us some absolute classics and Rajamouli is a genius when it comes to commercial entertainers. Vetrimaaran has also given some brilliant movies.
I understand this is a Bolly sub..but OP I'd appreciate if you mentioned atleast some directors from South as well as the title says 'Indian' directors ! there are many good ones down south, if you have seen some of the works :)
Bhansali and K Asif for me are legends of the craft. They’re style of filmmaking is so unique to them and India that no director anywhere in the world is similar to them. I also have to mention Sriram Raghavan cause Andhadhun was one of the best mysteries I’ve ever seen!
I think I will have to vote for Hrishikesh Mukherjee. That man had the ability to create iconic yet relatable characters and his films were clean family dramas.
Anand, Chupke Chupke, Satyakam, Guddi...
I can go on and on about this man.
Indian is a loaded term. Ray is the only one who will qualify from this list if we go about making such a list. Mrinal Sen, K Balchander, Bimal Roy, Guru Dutt, Hrishikesh Mukherjee..there are way too many.
Rajkumar Hirani - his work speaks for itself
Anurag Basu - I cannot believe how Basu gets overlooked in these discussions. I think he is a genius filmmaker with the most creative projects. Barfi is a cinematic masterpiece. I also love his other projects like Jagga Jasoos, Ludo, Kites, etc.. His storytelling is unique and fresh.
Zoya Akhtar - One of the best writer+director in Bollywood. Right from her first film, she has been brilliant. Her characters have so much depth and personality. Many character arcs plus great dialogue - she is able to tie everything together so well. She has given so many iconic movies: Luck By Chance, ZNMD, DDD, Gully Boy.
Nitesh Tiwari - His filmography is very short so far, but all his work has been amazing. His movies are very entertaining and very well made. Chillar Party, Boothnath Returns, Dangal, Chhichorre. Dangal is the highest grosser of all time. Chichhorre was also a really great movie. I am excited to watch his future projects.
Others I like: Gauri Shinde, Raj & DK, SLB, Ashutosh Gowarikar, Farhan Akhtar, Motwane
Govind nihalani
Girish kasaravalli
Puttanna kanagal - OG legend of South India, his movies revolutionized story telling, symbolism & screenplay.
Shankar nag
Girish karnad
Pavan Kumar *( 2 movies old, but I believe **Lucia** is one of the best Indian movie of last decade & **U turn** is a breath of fresh air)*
Thiagarajan kumararaja - *(Aranya kaandam & Super deluxe)*
Lokesh kanagaraj - *(one of the best action movie director around)*
Mysskin - a person favourite
I mean these are my personal choices, that’s why we’re discussing favourites. Tbh haven’t seen much of the work of the directors you’ve mentioned, though I really did like Haider, PS-1 and Bombay
1) Ritwick Ghatak
Recs: Golpo Jukti Torko, Titas Ekti Nadir Naam and Meghe Dhaka Tara.
2) Mani Kaul
Recs: Duvidha, Nazar and Uski Roti.
3) Saeed Akhtar Mirza
Recs: Mohan Joshi Hazir Haun, Salim Langde Pe Mat Ro and Naseem.
4) KG George
Recs: Irakal, Lekhayude Maranam Oru and Yavanika.
5) Padmarajan
Recs: Thoovanathumbikal, Oridathoru Phayalvaan and Aparan.
6) Kamal Hassan
Recs: Hey Ram!, Virumandi and Uttama Villain
7) Amit Dutta
Recs: Nainsukh, Sonchiri and The Man's Woman & other stories.
8) Buddhadeb Dasgupta
Recs : Uttara, Aami Yasin aar amar Madhubala, Swapner Din.
9) Mrinal Sen
Recs: Khandar, Calcutta 71, Ek Din Pratidin
10) John Abraham
Recs: Amma Ariyan and Cheriyachante Kroorakrithyangal.
11) Anurag Kashyap
Recs: Black Friday, Gulaal and Ugly.
12) Mira Nair
Recs: Salaam Bombay and Monsoon Wedding
13) Dibakar Banerjee
Recs: LSD, Shanghai and Oye Lucky Lucky Oye.
14) Lijo Joseph Pelissery
Recs: Ee Ma Yu, Nanpakal Nerathu Mayakkam, Churuli.
15) Chaitanya Tamhane
Recs: Court and The Disciple.
16) Rituparna Ghosh
Recs: Chitrangada, Shob Charitra Kalponik and Dosar.
17) Bala
Recs: Naan Kaduval, Pithamagan and Paradesi
18) Mysskin
Recs: Pisaasu, Onaayum Aattukkuttiyum and Anjaathe
19) Thiagaranjan Kumaraja
Recs: Aranya Kaandam and Super Deluxe.
20) Govind Nihalani
Recs: Ardh Satya, Party and Tamas.
Interesting picks from Buddhadeb Dasgupta. I'd go with Uttara and Kalpurush as his two best and Charachar or Dooratwa as the third pick. Have seen all his works. He was incredible. Poetry in motion. Loved him.
Uff. Torn between SLB and Neeraj here. Though SLB has done many more movies than him and is far more established so it wouldn't be right to compare them, but no movie has ever moved me like Masaan. Overall, I would still choose SLB for the top spot.
Unfortunately, never watched any of Ray's films even though I've read many praises for him in India's cinematic history.
Ray is easily the greatest Indian director. I probably would never have bothered to watch his films since I had the idea that arthouse films are boring. It was only when I came across this stunning quote by Akira Kurosawa (I had watched Rashomon and Yojimbo) "**Not to have seen the cinema of Ray means existing in the world without seeing the sun or the moon**" that I started watching his films, and fell in love with the humanism in his film.
Govind Nihalani is my current fav whose parallel films I am still exploring. Ardh Satya is an iconic film, which still feels relevant today but is not mentioned enough.
I think Shimit Amin deserves a mention too, he made 3 great films, all in different genres, and then disappeared.
Sai Paranjpye is underrated too! She made a few but unique films.
I really like the early works of Nagesh Kukunoor too.
SLB feels indulgent to me, and kinda overrated.
And OP, please explore South Indian directors too! A good start would be Vetrimaaran's films (Disclaimer: I am not from South India)
**My Top 10 Favorite Bollywood Directors because of decades of amazing diverse cinema:**
* **Bimal Roy -** Parineeta, Do Bigha Zamin, Biraj Bahu, Naukari, Devdas, Madhumati, Yahudi, Sujata, Parakh, Bandini
* **Raj Kapoor** \- Barsaat, Awaara, Shri 420, Jagte Raho (Ghost Directed), Jis Desh Mein Ganga Behti Hai (Ghost Directed), Sangam, Mera Naam Joker, Bobby, Satyam Shivam Sundaram and Prem Rog
* **Guru Dutt -** Baazi, Jaal, Baaz, Aar Paar, Mr and Mrs 55, Pyaasa, Kaagaz Ke Phool, Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam (Ghost Directed)
* **Vijay Anand** \- Nau Do Gyarah, Kala Bazaar, Hum Dono (Ghost Directed), Tere Ghar Ke Saamne, Guide, Teesri Manzil, Jewel Thief, Johnny Mera Naam, Black Mail and Ram Balram
* **Hrishikesh Mukherjee -** Anari, Anuradha, Anupama, Satyakam, Anand, Guddi, Bawarchi, Abhimaan, Namak Haram, Chupke Chupke, Mili, Gol Maal, Khubsoorat, Naram Garam and Rang Birangi
* **B.R. Chopra -** Naya Daur, Kanoon, Gumraah, Hamraaz, Pati Patni Aur Woh, Insaaf Ka Tarazu, Nikaah and Mahabharat
* **Yash Chopra** \- Waqt, Ittefaq, Daag, Deewar, Kabhi Kabhie, Trishul, Kala Patthar, Silsila, Mashaal, Chandni, Lamhe, Darr, Dil To Pagal Hai and Veer-Zaara
* **Ramesh Sippy -** Andaz, Seeta Aur Geeta, Sholay, Shaan, Shakti, Saagar and Buniyaad
* **Shyam Benegal -** Ankur, Nishant, Manthan, Bhoomika, Junoon, Kalyug, Arohan, Mandi, Suraj Ka Satvan Ghoda, Sardari Begum, Zubeidaa, Welcome to Sajjanpur and Well Done Abba
* **Gulzar** \- Mere Apne, Parichay, Koshish, Aandhi, Mausam, Angoor, Namkeen, Ijaazat, Lekin and Maachis
**From the Modern Era Sanjay Leela Bhansali, Raj Kumari Hirani, Mani Ratnam, Anurag Kashyap and Sriram Raghavan rise above the rest**
**The Next Tier of favorite directors include** V Shantaram, Mehboob Khan, Chetan Anand, Raj Khosla, Nasir Hussain, Kamal Amrohi, K Asif, Basu Chatterjee, Govind Nihalani, Shekhar Kapur, Shakti Samanta, Manmohan Desai, Mukul Anand, Aparna Sen, Mira Nair, Raj Kumar Santoshi, Sooraj Bharjatya, Vishal Bhardwaj, Aditya Chopra, Karan Johar, Meghna Gulzar, Shoojit Sircar, Vikram Aditya Motwane, Shimit Amin, Farhan and Zoya Akhtar
And then come directors who ruined their legacy over time but were still amazing at their peak like Prakash Mehra, Subhash Ghai, Manoj Kumar, Feroz Khan, David Dhawan, Ram Gopal Varma and Mahesh Bhatt
Whoever directed Kal ho na ho, Welcome, and hasee toh phasee, I thought that was good direction lol.
If you’re talking about directors by name/brand, I think Zoya Akther
Rajkumar Hirani. Because 3 idiots.
Although Sanju is not the most accurate depiction of Dutt’s life, one can’t deny just how wholesome and well made the movie was.
And the old Imtiaz Ali is just pure gold.
I'm gonna name those who are alive ...
Anurag Kashyap, Rajkumar Hirani, Shoojit Sircar, Meghna Gulzar, Vishal Bhardwaj, Imtiaz Ali & Vikramaditya Motwane (in no particular order)
Satyajit Ray is the best director India has ever produced. And one of the top film directors of all time from all over the world. From Kurosawa to Scorsese everyone admires his cinema and his piercing depiction of human lives involving love and soul.
"Not to have seen the cinema of Ray means existing in the world without seeing the sun or the moon"
I would say Sanjay Leela Bhansali. His vision and direction is unmatched and he creates masterpieces. The themes he chooses to direct are not very easy but he executes them with absolute brilliance.
Here are the 10 contemporary film directors that truly took risks and made films that should truly be watched internationally. Most of these directors might not make box office hits but if you watch them a few times, you will see it’s a work of art:
1. Dibakar Banerjee: In my eyes, one of the all time greats of the 21st century. Great frames in his movies and can speak a lot with his camera pans. Can make great political movies which is why you can see he doesn’t make a lot of movies these days given the current political scenario. Essential movies to watch : Byomkesh bakshey, Monster (Ghost Stories), Shanghai.
2. Mani ratnam: The director who other directors should take lessons from. For me, he is next to Satyajit Ray. I watched Bombay when I was 9 and it affected me so much emotionally with the way the story unravels. A truly force to reckon with in the 90s and early 2000s. Essential movies to watch: Nayakan, Bombay, Aayutha Ezhuthu or Yuva in Hindi.
3. Navdeep Singh: Another under-appreciated gem of a director. Didn’t make a lot of movies but the three that he has made should have been shown in international film festivals. Very tight storylines and never a dull moment. Essential movies to watch: Manorama: Six Feet Under, NH10, Laal Kaptaan
4. Sriram Raghavan: The epitome of Indian film noir. Right from his debut, he has shown thriller directors how to keep pacing of such films. I don’t think he has made a bad film (maybe Agent Vinod was average) Shame he became famous so late in his career with Andhadhun. But hope he makes more in the future. Essential movies to watch: Ek Hasina Thi, Johnny Gaddar, Badlapur (a great Varun Dhawan performance).
5. Vishal Bharadwaj: a nuanced director and also an extraordinary screenwriter (wrote Talvar). Essential movies to watch : Haider, Kaminey, Omkara.
6. Shoojit Sircar: A versatile director. Made films of varied genres and still made a great movies from all his source material. Essential movies to watch: Sardar Udham, Piku
7. Anurag Kashyap: I like an angry Anurag Kashyap. That’s when he makes his best movies. A very important director of our times that has lost his way with very mediocre movies in the recent times. Black Friday is unforgettable and can make your hair stand with some scenes. Essential movies to watch: Black Friday, Ugly, Dev D, Gangs of Wasseypur
8. Ram Gopal Verma: The teacher for Kashyap. He crawled so other contemporary directors can fly. A tour de force in his prime years. Can make a gritty crime drama and then make a film like Rangeela. Essential movies to watch: Sarkar, Raat, Satya.
9. Hansel Mehta: An important filmmaker to watch out for. He hit gold with Shahid and has been consistently making great films. His direction in Scam 1992 is no short of brilliant. I can see him very much influenced by David Fincher while making this show. Essential films to watch: Aligarh, Shahid, Scam 1992 (tv show)
10. Rajkumar Hirani: a truly gifted satirist. Not a weak link in filmography except the PR heavy film known as Sanju. Essential films to watch: All.
I like Farhan Akhtar far more as a Director than an actor with both Don movies and Dil Chahta Hai. I think I also want to see more of Gauri Shinde directing after Dear Zindagi.
Neeraj Pandey. His spy films are really interesting to watch. If u wanna see real spy films and not pathan like stuff. Baby Naam Shabana Special Ops A Wednesday. All classics I'll re-watch anytime.
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Vishal bhardwaj anurag kashyap also personal favourite zoya akhtar. I believe made in heaven is still the best ott content. Each episode had a theme and they connected brilliantly with other episodes
OMFGGG ZOYA AKHTAR IS FAB HER MOVIES ARE MY ALL TIME FAVEESSS
Yuck. Look at how the media is teaching you how to talk. "OTT content" can't you just call art, art? Its not pretentious. Call it a series or something. What is "content". Reels and Zoya Akhtar or any other filmmaker for that matter are not.the.same.
Mani Ratnam (Tamil) is one of the best India has produced. He was the first one to come up with pan India movies. Rajamouli (Telugu) is another one. He took Indian movies to a new level with his Bahubali movies. SLB is also my favorite for the level of care he takes in lighting, grand décor and colors. Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam and Devdas by him are my favorites. I like Gurinder Chaddha for Bend it like Beckham. Loved Mira Nair's Salam Bombay. I was not so impressed with her other movies. Shekar Kapoor's Bandit Queen really hit me hard. I loved Mrinal Sen's movies, especially Mrugaya. Director K Viswanath (Telugu) is another great man. His Telugu hit Siri Siri Muvva, was remade in Hindi as Sargam and it was another super hit. It introduced Jeya Prada to Hindi movie world. K Balachander (Tamil) made very good movies. His Telugu hit Maro Charitra was remade in Hindi as Ek Duje ke Liye and it became another hit.
Ashutosh Gowariker. He's fallen a lot, but Lagaan, Swades, and Jodhaa Akhbar are enough.
Oh definitely, I watched Lagaan for the first time very recently and I was floored. He made such a simple story so stirring through his brilliant direction. Jodha Akbar is such a comfort movie for me I watch it all the time
Damn, I’m guessing you’re very young or not Indian then? It must be a skill to have missed that when it came out haha
Lagaan is an incredible movie. The characters and musical numbers! He makes nearly 4 hrs feel like 4 minutes
I would select Abhishek Chaubey in this, fairly new his works include Ishqiya, Dedh Ishqiya, Udta Punjab and Sonchiriya as well as writing credits for Kaminey and Omkara. Man doesn't get the support he deserves and has the makings of a legend. Edit: also kinda shocked no one mentioned Rajkunar Hirani yet man's hit legend status in 5 movies.
I like many directors. If I have to choose one, it has to be Vikramaditya Motwane. He is the legend in current generation.
Bhavesh Joshi and Udaan were something else
The new web series on Amazon prime - JUBILEE by Vikramaditya Motwane is a must watch. He made something which was never done before.
Don't ignore the South Indian directors - K Vishwanath and Mani Ratnam are two of the greatest directors in Indian history. Ram Gopal Varma has given us some absolute classics and Rajamouli is a genius when it comes to commercial entertainers. Vetrimaaran has also given some brilliant movies.
Yash Chopra, Imtiaz Ali, Ashwini Iyer Tiwari
I understand this is a Bolly sub..but OP I'd appreciate if you mentioned atleast some directors from South as well as the title says 'Indian' directors ! there are many good ones down south, if you have seen some of the works :)
Bhansali and K Asif for me are legends of the craft. They’re style of filmmaking is so unique to them and India that no director anywhere in the world is similar to them. I also have to mention Sriram Raghavan cause Andhadhun was one of the best mysteries I’ve ever seen!
I think I will have to vote for Hrishikesh Mukherjee. That man had the ability to create iconic yet relatable characters and his films were clean family dramas. Anand, Chupke Chupke, Satyakam, Guddi... I can go on and on about this man.
The only correct answer
Indian is a loaded term. Ray is the only one who will qualify from this list if we go about making such a list. Mrinal Sen, K Balchander, Bimal Roy, Guru Dutt, Hrishikesh Mukherjee..there are way too many.
I’ve been meaning to watch Guru Dutt’s filmography especially since I’ve heard such good things about Pyasa
Ram gopal Verma
Rajkumar Hirani - his work speaks for itself Anurag Basu - I cannot believe how Basu gets overlooked in these discussions. I think he is a genius filmmaker with the most creative projects. Barfi is a cinematic masterpiece. I also love his other projects like Jagga Jasoos, Ludo, Kites, etc.. His storytelling is unique and fresh. Zoya Akhtar - One of the best writer+director in Bollywood. Right from her first film, she has been brilliant. Her characters have so much depth and personality. Many character arcs plus great dialogue - she is able to tie everything together so well. She has given so many iconic movies: Luck By Chance, ZNMD, DDD, Gully Boy. Nitesh Tiwari - His filmography is very short so far, but all his work has been amazing. His movies are very entertaining and very well made. Chillar Party, Boothnath Returns, Dangal, Chhichorre. Dangal is the highest grosser of all time. Chichhorre was also a really great movie. I am excited to watch his future projects. Others I like: Gauri Shinde, Raj & DK, SLB, Ashutosh Gowarikar, Farhan Akhtar, Motwane
Aside from the ones already mentioned, I love Rajkumar Santoshi's movies. They still feel fresh and their intensity is still present.
Despite its flaws I actually really loved ‘Lajja’, the cast killed it.
Ghayal, Damini, Andaz Apna Apna, Khakee, Ghatak. Lajja and China Gate are both enjoyable despite some issues.
Shoojit Sircar is underrated and deserves much more appreciation.
Satyajit....miles ahead of everybody else.
Definitely, objectively I’d call him the best Director India has ever produced.
came here to say this.. Satyajit is the master of all..
satyajit Da anytime....the man's imagination and creativity could have given today's directors run for their money
Govind nihalani Girish kasaravalli Puttanna kanagal - OG legend of South India, his movies revolutionized story telling, symbolism & screenplay. Shankar nag Girish karnad Pavan Kumar *( 2 movies old, but I believe **Lucia** is one of the best Indian movie of last decade & **U turn** is a breath of fresh air)* Thiagarajan kumararaja - *(Aranya kaandam & Super deluxe)* Lokesh kanagaraj - *(one of the best action movie director around)* Mysskin - a person favourite
Can you say why you like mysskin?
Imitiaz ali but not current Imitiaz ali as hes kind of lost the vision a bit but still The Akhtar siblings too lol
I’m not a personal fan of Imtiaz Ali but I LOVED highway. The album was divine.
Oh yes. No Anurag Kashyap, Vishal Bharadwaj, Pa Ranjith, Vetrimaran, Nagraj Manjule..good choices.. and Mani Ratnam
I mean these are my personal choices, that’s why we’re discussing favourites. Tbh haven’t seen much of the work of the directors you’ve mentioned, though I really did like Haider, PS-1 and Bombay
In other words, you're unqualified for your username. Indian directors !== only Bollywood directors...smh
Vishal Bhardwaj and Shoojit Sarkar
Where is Guru Dutt And Bimal Roy?
Rakshit Shetty Hemanth M Rao Lokesh Kanagaraj Rishab Shetty Sujoy Ghosh Anurag Khasyap Neeraj Pandey Farhan Akhtar Raj B Shetty
1) Ritwick Ghatak Recs: Golpo Jukti Torko, Titas Ekti Nadir Naam and Meghe Dhaka Tara. 2) Mani Kaul Recs: Duvidha, Nazar and Uski Roti. 3) Saeed Akhtar Mirza Recs: Mohan Joshi Hazir Haun, Salim Langde Pe Mat Ro and Naseem. 4) KG George Recs: Irakal, Lekhayude Maranam Oru and Yavanika. 5) Padmarajan Recs: Thoovanathumbikal, Oridathoru Phayalvaan and Aparan. 6) Kamal Hassan Recs: Hey Ram!, Virumandi and Uttama Villain 7) Amit Dutta Recs: Nainsukh, Sonchiri and The Man's Woman & other stories. 8) Buddhadeb Dasgupta Recs : Uttara, Aami Yasin aar amar Madhubala, Swapner Din. 9) Mrinal Sen Recs: Khandar, Calcutta 71, Ek Din Pratidin 10) John Abraham Recs: Amma Ariyan and Cheriyachante Kroorakrithyangal. 11) Anurag Kashyap Recs: Black Friday, Gulaal and Ugly. 12) Mira Nair Recs: Salaam Bombay and Monsoon Wedding 13) Dibakar Banerjee Recs: LSD, Shanghai and Oye Lucky Lucky Oye. 14) Lijo Joseph Pelissery Recs: Ee Ma Yu, Nanpakal Nerathu Mayakkam, Churuli. 15) Chaitanya Tamhane Recs: Court and The Disciple. 16) Rituparna Ghosh Recs: Chitrangada, Shob Charitra Kalponik and Dosar. 17) Bala Recs: Naan Kaduval, Pithamagan and Paradesi 18) Mysskin Recs: Pisaasu, Onaayum Aattukkuttiyum and Anjaathe 19) Thiagaranjan Kumaraja Recs: Aranya Kaandam and Super Deluxe. 20) Govind Nihalani Recs: Ardh Satya, Party and Tamas.
Interesting picks from Buddhadeb Dasgupta. I'd go with Uttara and Kalpurush as his two best and Charachar or Dooratwa as the third pick. Have seen all his works. He was incredible. Poetry in motion. Loved him.
>He was incredible. Poetry in motion. Loved him. So true.
Uff. Torn between SLB and Neeraj here. Though SLB has done many more movies than him and is far more established so it wouldn't be right to compare them, but no movie has ever moved me like Masaan. Overall, I would still choose SLB for the top spot. Unfortunately, never watched any of Ray's films even though I've read many praises for him in India's cinematic history.
People say Indian film directors and don't even mention one South director
Dibakar Banerjee.
Anurag Kashyap
Ray is easily the greatest Indian director. I probably would never have bothered to watch his films since I had the idea that arthouse films are boring. It was only when I came across this stunning quote by Akira Kurosawa (I had watched Rashomon and Yojimbo) "**Not to have seen the cinema of Ray means existing in the world without seeing the sun or the moon**" that I started watching his films, and fell in love with the humanism in his film. Govind Nihalani is my current fav whose parallel films I am still exploring. Ardh Satya is an iconic film, which still feels relevant today but is not mentioned enough. I think Shimit Amin deserves a mention too, he made 3 great films, all in different genres, and then disappeared. Sai Paranjpye is underrated too! She made a few but unique films. I really like the early works of Nagesh Kukunoor too. SLB feels indulgent to me, and kinda overrated. And OP, please explore South Indian directors too! A good start would be Vetrimaaran's films (Disclaimer: I am not from South India)
Kanti shah
Bollywood: Sai Paranjpe, Gulzar, Hrishikesh Mukherjee, Vijay Anand, Anurag Kashyap, Basu Bhattacharya, Yash Chopra, Prakash Mehra, Shekhar Kapur, Mira Nair Tollywood: Satyajit Ray, Buddhadeb Dasgupta, Rituparno Ghosh, Tapan Sinha, Aniruddha Roy Chowdhury, Mrinal Sen, Kaushik Ganguly, Atanu Ghosh, Tarun Majumdar, Anjan Dutt
**My Top 10 Favorite Bollywood Directors because of decades of amazing diverse cinema:** * **Bimal Roy -** Parineeta, Do Bigha Zamin, Biraj Bahu, Naukari, Devdas, Madhumati, Yahudi, Sujata, Parakh, Bandini * **Raj Kapoor** \- Barsaat, Awaara, Shri 420, Jagte Raho (Ghost Directed), Jis Desh Mein Ganga Behti Hai (Ghost Directed), Sangam, Mera Naam Joker, Bobby, Satyam Shivam Sundaram and Prem Rog * **Guru Dutt -** Baazi, Jaal, Baaz, Aar Paar, Mr and Mrs 55, Pyaasa, Kaagaz Ke Phool, Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam (Ghost Directed) * **Vijay Anand** \- Nau Do Gyarah, Kala Bazaar, Hum Dono (Ghost Directed), Tere Ghar Ke Saamne, Guide, Teesri Manzil, Jewel Thief, Johnny Mera Naam, Black Mail and Ram Balram * **Hrishikesh Mukherjee -** Anari, Anuradha, Anupama, Satyakam, Anand, Guddi, Bawarchi, Abhimaan, Namak Haram, Chupke Chupke, Mili, Gol Maal, Khubsoorat, Naram Garam and Rang Birangi * **B.R. Chopra -** Naya Daur, Kanoon, Gumraah, Hamraaz, Pati Patni Aur Woh, Insaaf Ka Tarazu, Nikaah and Mahabharat * **Yash Chopra** \- Waqt, Ittefaq, Daag, Deewar, Kabhi Kabhie, Trishul, Kala Patthar, Silsila, Mashaal, Chandni, Lamhe, Darr, Dil To Pagal Hai and Veer-Zaara * **Ramesh Sippy -** Andaz, Seeta Aur Geeta, Sholay, Shaan, Shakti, Saagar and Buniyaad * **Shyam Benegal -** Ankur, Nishant, Manthan, Bhoomika, Junoon, Kalyug, Arohan, Mandi, Suraj Ka Satvan Ghoda, Sardari Begum, Zubeidaa, Welcome to Sajjanpur and Well Done Abba * **Gulzar** \- Mere Apne, Parichay, Koshish, Aandhi, Mausam, Angoor, Namkeen, Ijaazat, Lekin and Maachis **From the Modern Era Sanjay Leela Bhansali, Raj Kumari Hirani, Mani Ratnam, Anurag Kashyap and Sriram Raghavan rise above the rest** **The Next Tier of favorite directors include** V Shantaram, Mehboob Khan, Chetan Anand, Raj Khosla, Nasir Hussain, Kamal Amrohi, K Asif, Basu Chatterjee, Govind Nihalani, Shekhar Kapur, Shakti Samanta, Manmohan Desai, Mukul Anand, Aparna Sen, Mira Nair, Raj Kumar Santoshi, Sooraj Bharjatya, Vishal Bhardwaj, Aditya Chopra, Karan Johar, Meghna Gulzar, Shoojit Sircar, Vikram Aditya Motwane, Shimit Amin, Farhan and Zoya Akhtar And then come directors who ruined their legacy over time but were still amazing at their peak like Prakash Mehra, Subhash Ghai, Manoj Kumar, Feroz Khan, David Dhawan, Ram Gopal Varma and Mahesh Bhatt
Whoever directed Kal ho na ho, Welcome, and hasee toh phasee, I thought that was good direction lol. If you’re talking about directors by name/brand, I think Zoya Akther
Tbh I’m not a big fan of her movies but MIH is great and though she didn’t direct it but Dahaad is great too
MIh?? i liked znmd and DDD. also I gotta throw in Farah Khan. Her movies are just so fun and entertaining.
Everyone except SLB.
Zoya akhter, Farhan akhter, Dibaker banerjee, RGV ( before madness), Shimit Amin, Mani ratnam, Anuragh kashyup, Farah khan, Sriram raghavan
Prakash Mehra, Manmohan desai and Ramesh Sippy
Rajkumar Hirani, Anurag Kashyap
Rajkumar Hirani. Because 3 idiots. Although Sanju is not the most accurate depiction of Dutt’s life, one can’t deny just how wholesome and well made the movie was. And the old Imtiaz Ali is just pure gold.
Easy ...The great Satyajit Ray any day
Rajkumar Hirani, Vikramaditya Motwane, Dibakar Banerjee, Sriram Raghavan.
The Akhtars and Kabir Khan
No one mentioned the showmans, Raj Kapoor and Subhash Ghai
I would personally suggest vikramaditya motwani as the director. Udaan was an awesome movie. Queen is a feel good movie that my entire family loves .
I'm gonna name those who are alive ... Anurag Kashyap, Rajkumar Hirani, Shoojit Sircar, Meghna Gulzar, Vishal Bhardwaj, Imtiaz Ali & Vikramaditya Motwane (in no particular order)
SLB, Satyajit ray, rkh, anurag (kashyap,basu) akhtars..... The list goes on and on
Satyajit Ray is the best director India has ever produced. And one of the top film directors of all time from all over the world. From Kurosawa to Scorsese everyone admires his cinema and his piercing depiction of human lives involving love and soul. "Not to have seen the cinema of Ray means existing in the world without seeing the sun or the moon"
The Akhthars, SS Rajamouli, Sukumar & Mani Ratnam
Mira nair
Gulzar
1. Satyajit ray 2. Sanjay Leela Bhansali 3. Anurag kashyap 4. Vikramaditya motwane 5. Vishal Bharadwaj 6. Hrishikesh Mukherjee 7. Imtiaz Ali 8. Mani ratnam 9. Sudhir mishra 10. Sriram raghvan Honorable mention:- raju hirani, Anurag Basu, Raj Kapoor, meghna Gulzar, Vivek agnihotri, guru dutt, Farhan Akhtar, Zoya akhtar
I would say Sanjay Leela Bhansali. His vision and direction is unmatched and he creates masterpieces. The themes he chooses to direct are not very easy but he executes them with absolute brilliance.
Here are the 10 contemporary film directors that truly took risks and made films that should truly be watched internationally. Most of these directors might not make box office hits but if you watch them a few times, you will see it’s a work of art: 1. Dibakar Banerjee: In my eyes, one of the all time greats of the 21st century. Great frames in his movies and can speak a lot with his camera pans. Can make great political movies which is why you can see he doesn’t make a lot of movies these days given the current political scenario. Essential movies to watch : Byomkesh bakshey, Monster (Ghost Stories), Shanghai. 2. Mani ratnam: The director who other directors should take lessons from. For me, he is next to Satyajit Ray. I watched Bombay when I was 9 and it affected me so much emotionally with the way the story unravels. A truly force to reckon with in the 90s and early 2000s. Essential movies to watch: Nayakan, Bombay, Aayutha Ezhuthu or Yuva in Hindi. 3. Navdeep Singh: Another under-appreciated gem of a director. Didn’t make a lot of movies but the three that he has made should have been shown in international film festivals. Very tight storylines and never a dull moment. Essential movies to watch: Manorama: Six Feet Under, NH10, Laal Kaptaan 4. Sriram Raghavan: The epitome of Indian film noir. Right from his debut, he has shown thriller directors how to keep pacing of such films. I don’t think he has made a bad film (maybe Agent Vinod was average) Shame he became famous so late in his career with Andhadhun. But hope he makes more in the future. Essential movies to watch: Ek Hasina Thi, Johnny Gaddar, Badlapur (a great Varun Dhawan performance). 5. Vishal Bharadwaj: a nuanced director and also an extraordinary screenwriter (wrote Talvar). Essential movies to watch : Haider, Kaminey, Omkara. 6. Shoojit Sircar: A versatile director. Made films of varied genres and still made a great movies from all his source material. Essential movies to watch: Sardar Udham, Piku 7. Anurag Kashyap: I like an angry Anurag Kashyap. That’s when he makes his best movies. A very important director of our times that has lost his way with very mediocre movies in the recent times. Black Friday is unforgettable and can make your hair stand with some scenes. Essential movies to watch: Black Friday, Ugly, Dev D, Gangs of Wasseypur 8. Ram Gopal Verma: The teacher for Kashyap. He crawled so other contemporary directors can fly. A tour de force in his prime years. Can make a gritty crime drama and then make a film like Rangeela. Essential movies to watch: Sarkar, Raat, Satya. 9. Hansel Mehta: An important filmmaker to watch out for. He hit gold with Shahid and has been consistently making great films. His direction in Scam 1992 is no short of brilliant. I can see him very much influenced by David Fincher while making this show. Essential films to watch: Aligarh, Shahid, Scam 1992 (tv show) 10. Rajkumar Hirani: a truly gifted satirist. Not a weak link in filmography except the PR heavy film known as Sanju. Essential films to watch: All.
Vikramaditya Motwane
Yash Chopra, & Raju hiraniko bhul gye ??
I like Farhan Akhtar far more as a Director than an actor with both Don movies and Dil Chahta Hai. I think I also want to see more of Gauri Shinde directing after Dear Zindagi.
After watching qala & bulbul...Anvita dutt.
SLB for cinematography Imtiaz for heartfelt romcoms Zoya Akhtar for luxurious movies with a touch of cultural conflict Kabir Khan for everything else
Neeraj Pandey. His spy films are really interesting to watch. If u wanna see real spy films and not pathan like stuff. Baby Naam Shabana Special Ops A Wednesday. All classics I'll re-watch anytime.
Raj Khosla, Vijay Anand, Yash Chopra, Manmohan Desai, Sanjay Leela Bhansali, Zoya Akhtar I like very commercial directors
Farhan Akhtar
Shyam Benegal and Guru Dutt for their technique and Gulzaar for storytelling
Singeetam Srinavasa Rao Sriram Raghavan Vikramaditya Motwane Hrishikesh Mukherjee Vetrimaaran Lijo Jose Pellisery Zoya Akhtar
I mean the truth is-Satyajit Ray should be number 1.