Rajkumar Santoshi facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Rajkumar Santoshi
Santoshi in 2015
Born	(1956-07-17) 17 July 1956 (age 69) Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India
Nationality	Indian
Other names	Raj Santoshi
Occupation	Film director, producer, screenwriter
Years active	1982–present
Notable work	Ghayal Damini Andaz Apna Apna Ghatak: Lethal China Gate Pukar The Legend of Bhagat Singh Khakee Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani

Rajkumar Santoshi is a famous Indian film director, producer, and screenwriter who makes Hindi movies. He has won many awards for his work, including three National Film Awards and six Filmfare Awards.

He became well-known after his first movie, the action-packed Ghayal (1990). It starred Sunny Deol, Meenakshi Sheshadri, and Amrish Puri. The film was a huge success and won him his first Filmfare Award for Best Director.

Santoshi also directed other hit movies. Damini (1993) was a powerful drama that also won him the Best Director award. He is also famous for the hilarious comedy Andaz Apna Apna (1994), starring Aamir Khan and Salman Khan. Even though it wasn't a big hit when it first came out, it has become a "cult classic," meaning it has a very dedicated group of fans who love it.

Some of his other popular films include the action movie Ghatak: Lethal (1996), the historical film The Legend of Bhagat Singh (2002), and the police thriller Khakee (2004). His highest-earning film was the romantic comedy Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani (2009), which was a blockbuster hit around the world.

Personal life

Rajkumar Santoshi's father, P. L. Santoshi, was also a producer and director. Rajkumar was born in Chennai and now lives with his wife, Manila, and their two children, Ram and Tanisha.

Career

Early Career and First Big Hit (1982-1990)

Santoshi began his film career in 1982. He worked as an assistant director for the director Govind Nihalani. He helped on the films Vijeta (1982) and Ardh Satya (1983).

In 1990, Santoshi directed his very first movie, Ghayal. It's an action movie about a man searching for his missing brother. The movie was loved by both audiences and critics and was one of the most successful films of the year. For Ghayal, Santoshi won the Filmfare Award for Best Director and a National Film Award.

A String of Successful Films (1991-1999)

After Ghayal, Santoshi directed the crime drama Damini (1993). The film was about serious topics, like the role of women in society. It was a big success and won Santoshi his second Best Director award from Filmfare. He is the only director to win this award for his first two films.

Next, Santoshi wanted to make a fun movie. He directed the comedy Andaz Apna Apna (1994), which brought together stars like Aamir Khan and Salman Khan. The movie didn't make much money at first, but over the years it has become one of the most loved comedies in Bollywood.

He then directed Barsaat (1995), a romance movie that introduced the actors Bobby Deol and Twinkle Khanna. His next film was the action-packed Ghatak: Lethal (1996), which was another big hit.

In 1998, he directed China Gate, an action film inspired by the famous Japanese movie Seven Samurai. It's about a village that hires a group of retired soldiers to protect them from bandits.

An Established Director (2000-2005)

In 2000, Santoshi directed Pukar, an action thriller starring Anil Kapoor and Madhuri Dixit. The film won a National Film Award for promoting national unity.

His next film, Lajja (2001), told the stories of four different women in India and explored issues like gender inequality.

In 2002, he directed The Legend of Bhagat Singh, a movie about the life of the Indian freedom fighter Bhagat Singh. The film received great reviews for its powerful story and direction. It won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Hindi.

Two years later, he made the police thriller Khakee (2004). It had a star-studded cast including Amitabh Bachchan, Akshay Kumar, and Aishwarya Rai. The movie was a huge success and proved that Santoshi was one of the top directors in Bollywood.

Later Films (2006-Present)

After a few films that didn't do well, Santoshi made a big comeback in 2009 with Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani. This romantic comedy, starring Ranbir Kapoor and Katrina Kaif, was a massive hit. It became the highest-grossing film of his career.

After a break, he directed the action-comedy Phata Poster Nikhla Hero (2013). More recently, in 2023, he released the films Gandhi Godse – Ek Yudh and Bad Boy. His upcoming film is titled Lahore 1947.

Filmography

Key

Denotes films that have not yet been released

Awards and nominations