Ayan Mukerji facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Ayan Mukerji
Mukerji at the premiere of Moonlight at the Jio MAMI Film Club, 2017
Born	(1983-08-15) 15 August 1983 (age 39) Calcutta, West Bengal, India
Other names	Ayan Mukherjee
Occupation	Director, screenwriter, producer
Years active	2004–present
Parent(s)	Deb Mukherjee Amrit Devi Mukherjee
Family	Mukherjee-Samarth family

Ayan Mukerji (born 15 August 1983) is an Indian film director, screenwriter and producer who works in Hindi films. Mukerji made his directorial debut at the age of 26 with the coming-of-age comedy Wake Up Sid (2009). The film opened to strong reviews and box-office returns. His next directorial, the 2013 romantic comedy-drama, Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani, ranks among the highest-grossing Hindi films. He then directed the fantasy action-adventure Brahmāstra: Part One – Shiva, which is the first in a planned trilogy of a cinematic universe named the Astraverse.

Mukerji is from a prominent Mukherjee-Samarth family of Indian cinema.

Early life and background

Mukerjee was born in a Bengali Hindu family in Kolkata, India, the son of Bengali film actor Deb Mukherjee. His family was steeped in the Indian film industry since the 1930, when his grandfather, Sashadhar Mukherjee, first ventured by chance into the field. Sashadhar Mukherjee was a pioneering film producer who was one of the founding partners of Filmistan Studio in Mumbai, and produced films like Dil Deke Dekho (1959), Love in Simla (1960), Ek Musafir Ek Hasina (1962) and Leader (1964). The studio is still run by Ayan's extended family.

Ayan's grandmother, Satidevi Mukherjee (née Ganguly), wife of Sashadhar Mukherji, was the sister of pioneer actor Ashok Kumar, Anup Kumar and singer Kishore Kumar. Ayan's grandfather's brothers were film producer Prabodh Mukherjee, director Subodh Mukherjee and Ravindra Mohan Mukherjee, grandfather of actress Rani Mukherjee. Ayan's father's brothers were actors Joy Mukherjee, Subir Mukherjee and Shomu Mukherjee, who is the husband of actress Tanuja and he made 3 movies and father of actresses Kajol and Tanisha Mukherjee.

Mukerji studied at Jamnabai Narsee School in Vile Parle, Mumbai. He later attended Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Technology but dropped out after the first year to assist Ashutosh Gowariker as clapper boy on Swades (2004).

Career

Mukerji started his career as an assistant to Ashutosh Gowariker, his brother-in-law, on Swades, and later to Karan Johar on Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna (2006). After taking a short break from filmmaking, Mukerji wrote the screenplay for Wake Up Sid and directed it. The film released in 2009, starring Ranbir Kapoor and Konkona Sen Sharma in the lead roles and went on to become a critical and commercial success. The film earned him a Best Debut Director at Filmfare.

Mukerji's second film, also under Johar's banner Dharma Productions, was Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani, with Ranbir Kapoor and Deepika Padukone in lead roles. It was a huge commercial success. The movie grossed Rs. 1 billion at the box-office in just 7 days. It became the third highest-grossing Indian film of all time. The film earned him a second Best Director nomination at Filmfare.

Mukerji's third film, Brahmāstra: Part One – Shiva, starring Ranbir Kapoor, Amitabh Bachchan, Alia Bhatt, Mouni Roy and Nagarjuna Akkineni released on 9th September 2022 under Johar's banner Dharma Productions. It is the first in a planned trilogy known as the Astraverse.

Mukerji is all set to direct the next in this trilogy, Brahmа̄stra: Part Two – Dev and Brahmāstra: Part Three.

Filmography

Key

Denotes films that have not yet been released

Year	Title	Director	Writer	Producer	Notes
2004	Swades	Assistant	Yes	No
2005	Home Delivery	No	No	No	Cameo appearance
2006	Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna	Assistant	No	No	Cameo appearance
2009	Wake Up Sid	Yes	Yes	No
2013	Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani	Yes	Yes	No	Cameo appearance
2022	Brahmāstra: Part One – Shiva	Yes	Yes	Yes
2025	Brahmāstra: Part Two – Dev	Yes	Yes	Yes	Announced
2027	Brahmāstra: Part Three - Amrita	Yes	Yes	Yes

Awards