Ayan Mukerji

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-drama Wake Up Sid (2009). The film opened to strong reviews and box-office returns.[1][2] 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 Āstraverse created by him. His next project as director is War 2 which itself is a part of the YRF Spy Universe.

Ayan Mukerji
Mukerji at the premiere of Moonlight at the Jio MAMI Film Club, 2017
Born (1983-08-15) 15 August 1983
Calcutta, West Bengal, India
(now Kolkata)
Other namesAyan Mukherjee
Occupation(s)Director, screenwriter, producer
Years active2004–present
Parent(s)Deb Mukherjee
Amrit Devi Mukherjee
FamilyMukherjee-Samarth family

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, West Bengal, 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.[3][4]

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.[5][6]

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).[7]

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.[4] The film released on 2 October 2009, starring Ranbir Kapoor and Konkona Sen Sharma in the lead roles and went on to become a critical and commercial success.[8] The film earned him the Filmfare Award for Best Debut Director and his first nomination for the Filmfare Award for Best Director.

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, released on 31 May 2013. It was a massive commercial success. The film grossed Rs. 1 billion at the box-office in just 7 days. It became the third highest-grossing Indian film of all time.[9][10] The film earned him his second nomination for the Filmfare Award for Best Director.

Mukerji's third film, Brahmāstra: Part One – Shiva, starring Amitabh Bachchan, Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, Mouni Roy, Nagarjuna Akkineni in lead roles, [11]released on 9 September 2022 under Johar's banner Dharma Productions. It is the first installment of this trilogy. The cinematic universe known as the Astraverse. The film emerged as a commercial success,[12] with an estimated gross of over ₹431 crore (US$54 million) worldwide, making it ultimately the highest-grossing Hindi film of 2022, fourth highest grossing Indian film of 2022 and one of the highest-grossing Indian films of all time. Box Office India in their year-end report gave Brahmāstra: Part One – Shiva a ‘‘hit’’ verdict.[12][13] The film earned him his third nomination for the Filmfare Award for Best Director.

Upcoming projects

As of April 2023, Mukerji is all set to direct the next in the sixth installment of YRF Spy Universe titled War 2,[14] the second installment titled Brahmа̄stra: Part Two – Dev and the third installment titled Brahmāstra: Part Three.[15]

Filmography
Key
† Denotes films that have not yet been released
YearTitleDirectorWriterProducerNotes
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 First installment in Āstraverse
2025 War 2 † Yes No No Announced
Sixth installment in YRF Spy Universe
2026 Brahmāstra: Part Two – Dev † Yes Yes Yes Announced
Future installments in Āstraverse
2027 Brahmāstra: Part Three † Yes Yes Yes

Awards
FilmAwardCategoryResultRef
Wake Up Sid55th Filmfare AwardsBest DirectorNominated[16]
Best Debut DirectorWon
Screen AwardsBest Debut DirectorNominated[17]
Stardust AwardsHottest New DirectorWon[18]
Producers Guild Film Awards Best Debut DirectorWon [19]
Best DirectorNominated
Best StoryNominated
International Indian Film Academy AwardsBest DirectorNominated [20]
Best StoryNominated
Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani BIG Star Entertainment Awards Most Entertaining DirectorNominated[21]
59th Filmfare AwardsBest DirectorNominated[22]
Screen AwardsNominated[23]
Producers Guild Film AwardsNominated [24]
Best ScreenplayNominated
Zee Cine AwardsWon [25]
Best DirectorWon
Best StoryNominated
Best DialogueNominated
Brahmāstra: Part One – ShivaInternational Indian Film Academy AwardsBest DirectorNominated [26]
Best StoryNominated
Zee Cine AwardsBest DirectorWon [27]

References
  1. "Wake Up Sid wows critics and masses alike!". Hindustan Times. IANS. 5 October 2009. Archived from the original on 28 October 2013. Retrieved 2 May 2021.
  2. Taran Adarsh (3 October 2009). "B.O. update: 'Wake Up Sid', 'Do Knot Disturb' bring cheer". Bollywood Hungama. Archived from the original on 12 February 2010. Retrieved 3 October 2009.
  3. "Ayan Mukherjee wants to remake grandpa's 'Love in Simla'". The Times of India. 17 May 2013. Archived from the original on 5 October 2013. Retrieved 16 June 2013.
  4. "Waking up Ayan". MiD DAY. 12 August 2009. Retrieved 16 June 2013.
  5. "In pics: Bollywood's Mukherjee-Samarth family tree". CNN-IBN. Archived from the original on 27 January 2012. Retrieved 16 June 2013.
  6. "Forever young". Time Out Mumbai. 15 June 2010. Archived from the original on 15 June 2010.
  7. "The Pulp Prodigy". intoday.in.
  8. "Trade Report Wake Up Sid wows critics and masses alike!". Archived from the original on 6 June 2011. Retrieved 28 September 2011.
  9. Iyer, Meena (21 September 2011). "Deepika, Ranbir together again". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 10 July 2012. Retrieved 28 September 2011.
  10. "Ranbir, Deepika share amicable equation: Ayan Mukerji". Archived from the original on 26 September 2011. Retrieved 28 September 2011.
  11. "Ranbir Kapoor To Play A Superhero in Ayan Mukerji's Next". filmibeat.com. Archived from the original on 27 October 2013. Retrieved 18 November 2013.
  12. "Classifications 2023: Six BLOCKBUSTERS - One SUPERHIT - Three HITS". Box Office India. 19 January 2023. Retrieved 21 January 2023.
  13. "Ayan Mukerji confirms that Brahmastra sequels will introduce new characters". filmfare.com. Retrieved 10 September 2022.
  14. "Not Siddharth Anand, Ayan Mukerji to direct Hrithik Roshan starrer War 2". Bollywood Hungama. 4 April 2023. Retrieved 4 April 2023.
  15. Negi, Shivani (9 September 2022). "Brahmastra Part 2: Dev announced. Here's what we know". News24 English. Retrieved 10 September 2022.
  16. "3 Idiots shines at Filmfare Awards". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 11 August 2011.
  17. "Nominations for Nokia 16th Annual Star Screen Awards 2009". Bollywood Hungama. 5 March 2010. Archived from the original on 5 March 2010. Retrieved 29 December 2017.
  18. "Stardust Awards 2010: Winners List". www.merinews.com. Archived from the original on 22 January 2010. Retrieved 29 December 2017.
  19. "Hindi Awards Star Guild Awards 2010 | Nettv4u". nettv4u. Retrieved 29 December 2017.
  20. "IIFA Awards 2010 Nominations announced - bollywood news : glamsham.com". www.glamsham.com. Retrieved 29 December 2017.
  21. Parande, Shweta (21 January 2014). "Filmfare Awards 2014 nominations: Will Shahrukh Khan lose Best Actor to Dhanush?". India.com. Retrieved 2 February 2018.
  22. Hungama, Bollywood (12 December 2013). "Nominations for 4th Big Star Entertainment Awards – Bollywood Hungama". Bollywood Hungama. Retrieved 2 February 2018.
  23. "20th Annual Screen Awards 2014: The complete list of nominees". 1 March 2014. Archived from the original on 1 March 2014. Retrieved 2 February 2018.
  24. "9th Renault Star Guild Awards releases list of nominees". India Today. 16 January 2014. Retrieved 2 February 2018.
  25. "Zee Cine Awards 2014: Winner's List". Zee News. 24 February 2014. Retrieved 2 February 2018.
  26. "IIFA Awards: Alia Bhatt's 'Gangubai Kathiawadi', 'Brahmastra' lead nominations". Economic Times. 27 December 2022. Retrieved 7 January 2023.
  27. "Zee Cine Awards 2023: Check Full list of Winners, Best Film, Best Actor, Actress, Songs and more". Zee Business. 18 March 2023. Retrieved 24 March 2023.
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