Out of the Box Directors

BollyCurry presents to you top-notch directors right from the pitch that have brought a new wave of Hindi cinema for the audiences.


In cinema, what matters is what can be captured in the confines of a frame, rest is ineffectual. The film-makers of every industry dive into the subject matter without a parachute, unaware of what the future holds for them. There is one such category of film-makers that choose to dive in not only without parachutes, but with a blindfold covering their eyes and adventure blooming in their hearts - the directors of movies in the world of parallel cinema. BollyCurry presents to you top-notch directors right from the pitch that have brought a new wave of Hindi cinema for the audiences.

Shyam Benegal

Parallel cinema in Bollywood gains its origin from the Bengali film industry and so does film-maker and screenwriter, Shyam Benegal. He has brought to life a few stories that have redefined the basic identity of cinema. A few of his notable works consist of Ankur (1973), Nishant (1976), Bhumika (1977), Junoon (1979), Nehru (1984), The Making of the Mahatma (1996), Zubeidaa (2001) and Well Done Abba (2009). Not only a Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan Awardee, Benegal has also swept away the highest award for Indian cinema, the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in the year 2005. The man is nothing less than a legend who shall have his name written in gold in the history of Indian cinema.

Deepa Mehta

The Indo-Canadian film director Deepa Mehta has been a force to reckon with in the industry. She has attributed to the cinematic industry movies such as the Elements trilogy, Fire (1996), Earth (1998) and Water (2005), Bollywood Hollywood (2002), The Forgotten Woman (2008), Midnight's Children (2012) and Exclusion (2014). The Elements trilogy was critically acclaimed worldwide, and lauded by all and sundry. Apart from the Member of the Order of the Ontario Award and the Officer of the Order of Canada Award, Mehta has been the recipient of Canada's highest honour in the performing arts, the Governor General's Performing Arts Award. Mehta has added a number of achievements to the credit of women's contribution to the film industry.

Ketan Mehta

Indian film-director, Ketan Mehta is a name than needs no introduction. He has to his credit various feature films, documentaries and television serials - Captain Vyom and Mr. Yogi. He has worked upon a diverse range of genres, including comedy, satire, romance, violence and rebellion. Mehta has directed various films including Bhavni Bhavai (1980), Holi (1984), Hero Hiralal (1988), Mirch Masala (1985), Maya Memsaab (1992), Sardar (1993), Oh Darling! YeH Hai India (1995), Mangal Pandey: The Rising (2005) and Rang Rasiya (2005). He has been awarded with the National Film Award for Best Feature Film on National Integration two times, the Order Des Arts Et Des Lettres by the French Government and the Filmfare Award for the Best Documentary in 1993. He brought immense pride to India when he received a lifetime membership to the International Film and Television Club of Asian Academy of Film and Television by Sandeep Marwah.

Nagesh Kukunoor

Indian director, producer, screenwriter and actor, Nagesh Kukunoor forayed into making art films at a very early age. He started his career by directing the short film One Culture at a Time (1995), but he gained worldwide appreciation with Hyderabad Blues (1998), a movie that was both, a commercial and a critical success. Thereafter, there was no looking back. Rockford (1999), Bollywood Calling (2001), Hyderabad Blues 2 (2004), Iqbal (2005), Dor (2006), Aashayein (2010) and Mod (2011) are among his notable works. Iqbal was a cult film that set Indian cinema's holding in an altogether new dimension. Kukunoor has a list of accolades like the National Film Award for Best Film on Other Social Issues, Audience Award for Best Film at the International Film Festival in Atlanta and Rhode Island, The Grand Prix, Generation Kplus International Jury for the Best Feature-length Film at the 65th Berlin International Film Festival and the Filmfare Award for Best Story.

Anurag Kashyap

Anurag Kashyap is an Indian director, screenwriter and producer who has made it big due to his forte in realistic movies. After working for a few newspapers and television serials, Kashyap forayed into Bollywood by co-writing Ram Gopal Varma's crime drama Satya (1998). He has proven his mettle with movies like Paanch (2003), Black Friday (2007), Dev D (2009), Gulaal (2009), That Girl in Yellow Boots (2011), Gangs of Wasseypur - Part 1 (2012) and Gangs of Wasseypur - Part 2 (2012). His work on Gangs of Wasseypur was applauded heartily by everyone and managed to set a new benchmark for film-makers. The trailer of his next directorial venture Bombay Velvet has created a lot of buzz, as the film is being awaited with great excitement.

Onir

The youngest among the batch of the experienced veterans is director, editor, writer and producer, Onir. After working as an assistant to Kalpana Lajmi in 2001, he moved on to make his directorial debut My Brother Nikhil (2005) that talked about a sensitive issue such as AIDS. The movie received critical appreciation at a large scale and Onir went on to give movies like Bas Ek Pal (2006), Sorry Bhai! (2008) and I Am (2011). His movies have been acclaimed at various International festivals, and he is slated to do bigger things at the directorial front.
 
Art films are an alternative to mainstream commercial cinema, especially for the people who use their brain while watching movies. Film-making is a complicated process, during which mistakes and accidents happen, but true great films are the results of those mistakes, and the decisions that those directors make during those moments. BollyCurry pays its salutation to such directors who make it possible for us to view a different perspective of life. With this, we leave you to comment in the space below about your favourite director from the aforementioned list.

Writer: Pooja B.
Editors: Nisha M. and Sonia R. 
Graphics: Shikha A.

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Shyam Benegal Thumbnail

Shyam Benegal

Ketan Mehta Thumbnail

Ketan Mehta

Anurag Kashyap Thumbnail

Anurag Kashyap

Deepa Mehta Thumbnail

Deepa Mehta

Nagesh Kukunoor Thumbnail

Nagesh Kukunoor

Onir Thumbnail

Onir

Bollywood Hollywood poster

Bollywood Hollywood

Junoon poster

Junoon

Oh Darling Yeh Hai India poster

Oh Darling Yeh Hai India

Holi poster

Holi

Sardar poster

Sardar

Fire poster

Fire

Maya Memsaab poster

Maya Memsaab

Dev D poster

Dev D

Gulaal poster

Gulaal

Sorry Bhai! poster

Sorry Bhai!

Black Friday poster

Black Friday

Bas Ek Pal poster

Bas Ek Pal

Dor poster

Dor

My Brother Nikhil poster

My Brother Nikhil

Mangal Pandey: The Rising poster

Mangal Pandey: The Rising

Water poster

Water

Hyderabad Blues 2 poster

Hyderabad Blues 2

Paanch poster

Paanch

Zubeidaa poster

Zubeidaa

Rockford poster

Rockford

Earth poster

Earth

Hyderabad Blues poster

Hyderabad Blues

Satya poster

Satya

Well Done Abba poster

Well Done Abba

Aashayein poster

Aashayein

I Am poster

I Am

That Girl in Yellow Boots poster

That Girl in Yellow Boots

Mod poster

Mod

Gangs Of Wasseypur 2 poster

Gangs Of Wasseypur 2

Midnight's Children poster

Midnight's Children

Iqbal poster

Iqbal

Rang Rasiya poster

Rang Rasiya

Bombay Velvet poster

Bombay Velvet

Gangs of Wasseypur poster

Gangs of Wasseypur

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