Journalists And Film Critics Who Turned Bollywood Directors
Posted On: 18 Jul 2022 | Last Updated : 20 Mar 2024 | Views : 1.4k
Journalists and film critics spend a great deal of their time in the show business. Often referred to as the paparazzi, the photographers or journalists are the ones responsible for the fame of Bollywood celebrities. Journalists enlighten us with the top news in Bollywood, while the critics help us shape our opinions about Bollywood celebrities or movies. After being connected to showbiz for a very long time, there have been some journalists and film critics who explored the different sides of Indian cinema and became filmmakers. Even though film critics/journalists and film celebrities share a love-hate relationship, the two play important roles in each other's careers. Rather than being mean to the Bollywood stars, film critics and journalists have been innocuous lately in their attacks towards the celebrities, to make it easy for themselves to enter Bollywood. Thus, here we present to you the list of film critics and journalists who turned directors. Stay tuned to check out more such Bollywood updates, articles, topics, and trivia related to movies and celebrities.
1. Bhavna Talwar
Bhavna Talwar is an Indian film director and journalist who started her career as a journalist at Asian Age, and used to cover film, theater and fashion. She later worked for over eight years as an assistant director with an Ad film company. She made her Bollywood debut as a film director with the 2007 film Dharm, starring Pankaj Kapur and Supriya Pathak, which won the Nargis Dutt Award for Best Feature Film on National Integration at the 2007 National Film Award. She has also directed the 2019 film Happi, starring Pankaj Kapur.
2. Khalid Mohamed
The Indian journalist, editor, film critic and filmmaker, Khalid Mohamed started his career as a journalist and worked for the Hindustan Times, and later was the lead editor of the Filmfare magazine. Son of the actress Zubeida Begum, Khalid Mohamed has always been connected to Bollywood. Inspired by the life of his mother, he also wrote the screenplay for the 2001 movie Zubeidaa, starring Karisma Kapoor, Rekha and Manoj Bajpayee. He made his directorial debut with the 2000 film Fiza, starring Karisma Kapoor and Hrithik Roshan. He has also directed movies like Tareekh (2003), Tehzeeb (2003) and Silsiilay (2005).
3. Subhash Kapoor
Subhash Kapoor started his career as a political journalist in the 1990s in Delhi and covered mostly the North Indian news. Later, some of his social short films became critically acclaimed, and soon after he shifted his focus to film direction and eventually moved to Mumbai in 2006 to make a career in Bollywood. In 2007, he made his directorial debut in Bollywood with the sports drama Say Salaam India. Later he directed movies like Phas Gaye Re Obama (2010), Jolly LLB (2013), Guddu Rangeela (2015), Madam Chief Minister (2021), Maharani (2021), etc.
4. Vinod Kapri
National Film Award winner, the filmmaker and author Vinod Kapri was born in an army family. At the age of 20, he started his career as a journalist in a Hindi daily that covered news of local politicians. He went on to attain success in his career in journalism and in 2007, he became the managing editor in India TV. He made his directorial debut with the 2015 feature film Miss Tanakpur Haazir Ho, which became a critically acclaimed social satirical drama. He has also directed movies like Pihu (2018) and 1232 Kms (2021).
5. Anusha Rizvi
The Indian film director and screenwriter, Anusha Rizvi was a well-known journalist before she became a Bollywood filmmaker. Being a journalist, she had the first-hand experience of what farmers in the drought prone regions go through, and also is aware of the gravity of seriousness of farmers’ suicide. Based on the same topic, she wrote the satirical black comedy Peepli Live (2010), and approached Aamir Khan with her idea. Later, she also directed the movie, and Peepli Live marked her directorial debut in Bollywood.
6. Khwaja Ahmad Abbas
Khwaja Ahmad Abbas was an Indian film director, screenwriter and journalist. Profluent in Urdu, Hindi and English, Khwaja Ahmad Abbas made a good career in journalism and then in Bollywood. Winner of four National Film Awards, Khwaja started his career in Bollywood as a screenplay writer with the 1941 film Naya Sansar. He then became one of the first journalists who turned Bollywood Directors and went on to direct movies like Aaj Aur Kal (1947), Rahi (1953), Gyara Hazar Ladkian (1962), Aasman Mahal (1965), Do Boond Pani (1971), Faslah (1974), and many more.
7. Sashi Kumar
A prominent Indian media personality, Sashi Kumar started his career in Doordarshan (DD) as a newsreader, anchor and producer who authored and presented many programs on the economy, politics and culture on Indian television like Money Matters, Tana Bana and Jan Manch. He then shifted his focus on film direction, and made his directorial debut with the 2004 film Kaya Taran, starring Angad Bedi and Seema Biswas. He has also acted in some Malayalam films like Balyakalasakhi (2014), Love 24x7 (2015), Ennu Ninte Moideen (2015), etc.
8. K. Pratyagatma / K. P. Atma
Named after his father Kotayya Pratyagatma, Kolli Pratyagatma was an Indian journalist, film director and producer, who predominantly worked in Telugu and Hindi cinema. He started his career as a journalist for the magazine Prajasakti and then worked as an editor for magazine Jwala. He then shifted his focus to film direction and made his directorial debut with the 1961 Telugu film Bharya Bhartalu (1961). In Bollywood, he directed movies like Chhota Bhai (1966), Raja Aur Runk (1968), Bachpan (1970), Ek Nari Ek Brahmachari (1971) and many more.
9. B. R. Chopra
The elder brother of filmmaker Yash Chopra, B. R. Chopra started his career as a journalist with Cine Herald, a film-monthly in Lahore. Later, he took over the magazine and ran it till 1947. Later, the riots broke out in Lahore, thus he, along with his family, had to flee from the city. Eventually, he moved to Bombay and established his career in Bollywood. He made his directorial debut with the 1949 film Karwat, and went on to direct and produce movies like Afsana (1953), Chandni Chowk (1954), Ek Hi Raasta (1956), Sadhna (1958), Kanoon (1960), Kanoon (1960), Gumrah (1963), Dastaan (1972), Dhund (1973), Nikaah (1982) and many more.
10. Kunal Kohli
Indian film director, producer and actor, Kunal Kohli started his career as a film critic in the late 1990s and hosted shows like Chalo Cinema on Zee TV. Later, he directed some music videos and also the television series. He is one of the prominent film critics who turned Bollywood director, and made his directorial debut with the 2002 romantic drama Mujhse Dosti Karoge!, under Yash Raj Films banner. Later he directed Rani Mukerji and Saif Ali Khan starrer Hum Tum (2004), for which he won Filmfare Award and Screen Award for Best Director. He has also directed movies like Fanaa (2006), Thoda Pyaar Thoda Magic (2008), Teri Meri Kahaani (2012), etc.
11. Karan Anshuman
Born and brought up in Mumbai, Karan Anshuman has always known the glitters and dazzles of the Bollywood industry. After graduating from Denison University, US, Anshuman co-founded Dreamscape Media in 2004, a digital agency for online marketing. Later, in 2011, he began his career as a film critic with Mumbai Mirror. Later, in 2015, Karan Anshuman made his directorial debut with the black comedy satirical drama Bangistan. He has also directed successful web series like Inside Edge (2017) and Mirzapur (2018).
12. Samar Khan
The Indian film director Samar Khan has predominantly worked in the Bollywood industry. Samar Khan started his career as a film critic, who used to review movies, documentaries and TV shows as a hobby. Later, he made his directorial debut in Bollywood with the 2005 film Kuchh Meetha Ho Jaye, starring Arshad Warsi. He has also directed the 2008 courtroom drama Shaurya, starring Kay Kay Menon, Javed Jaffrey, Rahul Bose, Minissha Lamba and Deepak Dobriyal.
13. Suparn Verma
Writer-actor-director Suparn Verma worked as an entertainment journalist for six years as a senior producer and film critic before turning to screenwriting and film direction. He started his Bollywood career in 2002 by writing for films like Chhal, Yeh Kya Ho Raha Hai?, Qayamat: City Under Threat, Zameen, Karam, etc. He made his directorial debut with the 2005 crime thriller Ek Khiladi Ek Haseena starring Fardeen Khan, Feroz Khan and Koena Mitra. He also directed Acid Factory (2009), Aatma (2013) and X: Past Is Present (2015).
14. Ramanand Sagar
Legendary writer, producer and director Ramanand Sagar was best known for his magnum opus Television Serial Ramayan (1987). As a filmmaker, he produced and directed classics like Arzoo, Ghunghat, Zindagi, Ankhen, Geet, Lalkar, Charas, Romance and Salma, etc. Before starting his Bollywood career as a writer for Raj Kapoor’s Barsaat in 1949, he was a journalist for ‘Daily Milap’, an Urdu daily published from Lahore, and rose to become its editor. He was a very well-read scholar of Persian and Urdu who was conferred with the title of ‘Adib-e-Alam’ and also wrote for the then-famous Urdu literary magazine in the 1940s called ‘Adab-e-Mashriq’.
