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Ashutosh Gowariker
Ashutosh Gowariker on the left, with Shahrukh Khan on the right.
Born	15 February 1964 (1964-02-15) (age 45)
Occupation	Director, Producer, writer
Years active	1984-present
Official website

Ashutosh Gowariker (Marathi: आशुतोष गोवारीकर) (born 15 February 1964) is an Indian film director, actor, writer and producer. He is known for directing the films Lagaan (2001), Swades (2004) and Jodhaa Akbar (2008). He was nominated for an Academy Award and European Film Award, and has won a number of other awards, including a National Film Award, five Filmfare Awards, and seven international film festival awards.^[1] He also became a voting member for the Academy Awards in 2005.^[2]

Early life

Gowariker was born in Mumbai in a Maharashtrian Saraswat Brahmin family. He is married to Sunita, and is a father of two sons.

Career

Ashutosh Gowarikar (in white) posing with directors of the other nominated foreign films at the 74th Academy Awards.

Ashutosh Gowariker started his career as an actor, making his debut in 1984 in director Ketan Mehta's movie, Holi. After that, he acted in several television serials, including Kachchi Dhoop (1987), Circus (1989), C.I.D. (1999) and several films, including Naam (1986), Chamatkar (1992), and Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa (1993).

The 1993 movie, Pehla Nasha (inspired by Brian De Palma's Hollywood movie, Body Double) marked Gowariker's directorial debut. It was a failure at the box office. His second movie, Baazi (1995), starring Aamir Khan, was a "below average" grosser at the box office. Gowariker also acted in a weekly horror show, "Woh", on Zee TV, which was critically acclaimed.

In 2001, Gowariker directed the period epic movie, Lagaan, produced by and starring Aamir Khan. Lagaan, the story of a cricket match between British officers and Indian villagers in the late 19th century, was released to great critical acclaim at home and abroad. In India, it won the National Film Award for Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment, an award shared between Gowariker and Khan. Abroad, the film won a number of awards at international film festivals and was nominated an Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film (see Awards and nominations for Lagaan).^[3] It ranked third among 2001's Indian movies in terms of gross revenue.^[4]

In 2004, Gowariker directed Swades, starring Shahrukh Khan. Swades also received high critical acclaim. It was popular overseas, but it did not do well at the box office in India.^[5]

Gowariker is known as an "actor's director". At the time of writing (2008), all of his male stars have won either the Filmfare Best Actor Award or the Critics' Best Actor Award.

Jodhaa Akbar, another period epic starring Hrithik Roshan and Aishwarya Rai, was released on 15 February 2008. It received widespread acclaim in India and overseas.

Historical love epic "Jodhaa Akbar" swept the 10th International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) awards in Macau, China, on 15 June 2009 taking home trophies for best picture, best director and best actor.

Gowariker's latest film What's Your Raashee?, a romantic comedy starring Priyanka Chopra and Harman Baweja released on 25 September 2009.

Gowariker's next Hindi film will be a historical thriller about the Chittagong Uprising titled Khelein Hum Jee Jaan Sey. Abhishek Bachchan has been chosen to essay the authored backed male lead role of Surya Sen while Deepika Padukone has been chosen to essay the lead female role in the film. The film is to go on the floors in November 2009.^[6]

Filmography

Director

Producer

Actor

References

External links

• Official website
• Ashutosh Gowariker at the Internet Movie Database
• Ashutosh Gowariker on MovieTalkies.com