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 15 February 1964) is a famous Indian film director, actor, writer, and producer. He mostly works in Hindi films. He is known for making big movies with grand sets and lots of detail.

He is especially famous for directing the musical sports drama Lagaan (2001), the social drama Swades (2004), and the historical romantic drama Jodhaa Akbar (2008). He won awards for Best Film and Best Director for Lagaan and Jodhaa Akbar.

Lagaan was even nominated for an Academy Award for Best International Feature Film. This means he is now a voting member for the Academy Awards. He also returned to acting in the well-liked comedy drama Ventilator (2016).

Early Life

Ashutosh Gowariker was born in Kolhapur to Ashok and Kishori Gowariker. His family speaks Marathi. He is married to Sunita, and they have two sons named Konark and Vishwang.

Career Highlights

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 Holi, 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 the main role in the Marathi comedy drama Ventilator, which was produced by Priyanka Chopra. It took him about six months to agree to do the film.

Becoming a Director

Early Directing Work

Gowariker first directed the thriller movie Pehla Nasha in 1993. After that, he directed another thriller called Baazi in 1995. Both of these movies did not get good reviews and were not successful at the box office.

Big Successes

The 2000s were a very successful time for Gowariker. During this period, he made and directed three of his most popular films.

His first big hit of the new century was the epic musical sports drama Lagaan (2001). This film was produced by and starred Aamir Khan. It was 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, praising its direction, music, and the actors' performances. Lagaan was a huge success and was one of the highest-earning Hindi films of 2001.

Lagaan won Gowariker his first 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 an 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 at the Kennedy Space Center during the filming of Swades

Next, he wrote and directed the social drama Swades (2004). This movie starred Shah Rukh Khan and Gayatri Joshi. The story is about an Indian project 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 other facilities. Critics gave Swades great reviews for its direction, story, and acting. However, even with good reviews, it did not make much money at the box office. Over time, Swades has become a cult classic, meaning many people love it now.

Gowariker's next big project was the historical romantic drama Jodhaa Akbar (2008). This film 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. The movie received excellent reviews for its direction, music, costumes, and the actors' performances. Jodhaa Akbar was a major success at the box office. It earned Gowariker his second Filmfare Award for Best Film and Best Director. 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 starred Priyanka Chopra in 12 different roles! It was based on a Gujarati novel. The movie was about an Indian man living abroad who had to meet twelve possible brides, one for each zodiac sign, in ten days. The film premiered at the 2009 Toronto International Film Festival. It received mixed reviews, with some praise for the music and Chopra's acting, but criticism for its long length. It did not perform very well at the box office.

His next film was the historical action-adventure movie Khelein Hum Jee Jaan Sey (2010). It starred Abhishek Bachchan and Deepika Padukone. The film was based on a book about the 1930 Chittagong armoury raid. It received mixed to negative reviews and was not successful.

After a six-year break, Gowariker returned with the action-adventure film Mohenjo Daro (2016). This movie starred Hrithik Roshan again. Set in 2016 BC, during the Indus Valley Civilisation, it follows a farmer who travels to the city of Mohenjo Daro. He challenges the city's leaders and fights to save his civilization. The film received negative reviews and was not a commercial success.

His most recent film was the epic war drama Panipat (2019). It starred Arjun Kapoor, Sanjay Dutt, and Kriti Sanon. The movie shows the events of the Third Battle of Panipat. It also received negative reviews and was not successful at the box office.

In 2024, Ashutosh Gowariker will be the head of the international jury at the 55th International Film Festival of India.

Filmography

Director

Actor

Awards