Ashutosh Gowariker facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Ashutosh Gowariker
Gowariker at the launch of T P Aggarwal's trade magazine Blockbuster
Born	(1964-02-15) 15 February 1964 (age 61) Kolhapur, Maharashtra, India
Occupation	Director, producer, screenwriter, actor
Years active	1984–present
Spouse(s)	Sunita Mukherjee ​ (m. 1988)​

Ashutosh Gowariker, born on February 15, 1964, is a talented Indian filmmaker, actor, and writer. He is famous for creating big, grand movies, especially in Hindi cinema.

He is well-known for directing popular films like the sports drama Lagaan (2001), the social story Swades (2004), and the historical romance Jodhaa Akbar (2008). He won important awards like the Filmfare Award for Best Film and Best Director for Lagaan and Jodhaa Akbar.

Lagaan was even nominated for an Academy Award for Best International Feature Film, which is a huge honor! This made him a voting member of the Academy Awards. He also returned to acting in 2016, playing the main role in the praised comedy-drama Ventilator.

Early Life and Family

Ashutosh Gowariker grew up in Kolhapur, India, in a family that spoke Marathi. He is married to Sunita, and they have two sons named Konark and Vishwang.

Ashutosh Gowariker's Career

Starting as an Actor

Gowariker began his career as an actor in 1984. His first movie was Holi. On the set of Holi, he met Aamir Khan, who he later worked with on many films.

After his first movie, he acted in several TV shows like Kacchi Dhoop (1987), Circus (1989), and C.I.D. (1998). He also appeared in movies such as Naam (1986), Goonj (1989), Chamatkar (1992), and Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa (1993). In 2016, he took on a lead role again in the Marathi comedy-drama Ventilator, which was produced by Priyanka Chopra.

Becoming a Director

First Steps in Directing

Ashutosh Gowariker started directing movies with the thriller Pehla Nasha in 1993. He then directed another thriller called Baazi in 1995. These first two movies did not do very well.

Big Successes in the 2000s

The 2000s were a very successful time for Gowariker. He directed and produced three of his most famous and successful films during this period.

His first big hit was the epic musical sports drama Lagaan (2001). This movie starred Aamir Khan and Gracy Singh. The story is about a small village in India during British rule. The villagers bet their future on a game of cricket against their strict British rulers. Critics loved the movie for its direction, music, and acting. Lagaan was a huge success, becoming one of the highest-grossing Hindi films of 2001.

Lagaan won Gowariker many awards, including the Filmfare Award for Best Director and Filmfare Award for Best Story. It also won the National Film Award for Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment and the Filmfare Award for Best Film. Most notably, Lagaan was nominated for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film. It was only the third Indian film ever to receive this nomination.

Ashutosh Gowariker, his wife Sunita, and actor Shahrukh Khan during the filming of Swades

Next, he wrote and directed the social drama Swades (2004). This film starred Shah Rukh Khan and Gayatri Joshi. The story follows an Indian manager working at NASA in the US. He returns to India and sees the problems in a rural village. He then decides to help improve their education, healthcare, and basic facilities. Critics praised Swades for its direction and story. Even though it didn't make a lot of money at first, it has become a very popular and respected film over time. Swades earned Gowariker nominations for Best Film and Best Director at the Filmfare Awards.

Gowariker's next big project was the historical romantic drama Jodhaa Akbar (2008). This movie starred Hrithik Roshan and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan. Set in the 16th century, it tells the story of the Muslim Emperor Akbar and the Hindu Princess Jodhaa Bai. They married for political reasons, and the film shows their life and romance. The movie received great reviews for its direction, music, and beautiful costumes. Jodhaa Akbar was a major success at the box office. Gowariker won his second Filmfare Award for Best Film and Best Director for this movie. The British Film Institute even called it one of the "10 Great Bollywood Films of the 21st Century."

Later Films

After these big successes, Gowariker directed the romantic comedy What's Your Raashee? (2009). This film was unique because Priyanka Chopra played 12 different roles! It premiered at the 2009 Toronto International Film Festival. While Chopra's acting was praised, the movie received mixed reviews and did not perform well at the box office.

His next film was the historical action-adventure Khelein Hum Jee Jaan Sey (2010). It starred Abhishek Bachchan and Deepika Padukone. The movie was based on a true story about the 1930 Chittagong armoury raid. This film also received mixed reviews and was not a commercial success.

After a break of six years, Gowariker returned with the period action-adventure Mohenjo Daro (2016). This movie reunited him with Hrithik Roshan. Set in ancient times, it tells the story of a farmer who travels to the city of Mohenjo Daro and fights to save its people. The film received negative reviews and was not successful.

His most recent film was the epic war drama Panipat (2019). It starred Arjun Kapoor, Sanjay Dutt, and Kriti Sanon. The movie showed events from the Third Battle of Panipat. This film also received negative reviews and was not a commercial success.

In 2024, Ashutosh Gowariker was chosen to lead the international jury at the 55th International Film Festival of India.

Filmography

Director

Actor

Awards and Recognition

Ashutosh Gowariker has won many awards for his work as a director and writer. Here are some of his notable awards: