6 Youngest Bollywood Director

Bollywood is full of talent in numerous areas, but in this article, we’re going to look at some of the youngest directors in the industry! Making a movie and directing a whole cast of people is no small feat, but the directors on our list have proven time and again that they know how to make it work in.

Without further ado, let’s take a closer look at some of the youngest directors in Bollywood.

6 Youngest Bollywood Directors

6. Zoya Akhtar

Photo Source: Wikimedia Commons

In addition to being one of Bollywood’s youngest directors, Zoya Akhtar is one of the best known directors in India. She grew up surrounded by creative people: her mother, Honey Irani, is a screenwriter, and her father, Javed Akhtar, is a poet, screenwriter, and lyricist. Her great-grandparents were also poets and creative people. 

Akhtar’s first directorial debut, Luck by Chance, was a hugely successful film, critically, but did not do well at the box office. She went on to direct the film Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara, starring Hrithik Roshan, Katrina Kaif, her brother Farhan Akhtar, and Kalki Koechlin. Over the years, Akhtar’s films have consistently been critically acclaimed and performed well at the box office. She is known for telling stories that feature real people, with realistic dialogue, and good pacing.

Did you know?

Zoya Akhtar often collaborates with Reema Kagti.

5. Rohit Shetty

Photo Source: Wikimedia Commons

Rohit Shetty has been around for a few years, but is still among some of the youngest directors in Bollywood. He started his career in the film industry when he was only 17 years old. He worked as an assistant director on the film Phool Aur Kaante with Ajay Devgn.

His directorial debut took place in 2003 with the film Zameen. He went on to direct Golmaal: Fun Unlimited three years later, and achieved both critical and commerical success. 

Did you know? 

Rohit Shetty is a frequent collaborator of Ajay Devgn.

4. Neeraj Pandey

Photo Source: Wikimedia Commons

Neeraj Pandey has firmly established himself as one of Bollywood’s leading directors. After moving to Mumbai in 2000 and directing several short film and documentaries, Pandey formed a production company called Quarter Inch Productions.

He directed a few movie that didn’t achieve much box office success, but later gained notoriety for his film Rustom, starring Akshay Kumar. In the years that followed, he continued to direct more hit films, and has since been hugely successful in Bollywood.

Did you know?

Neeraj Pandey is currently working on a biopic of Chanakya, who was known for being a polymath in ancient India.

3. Divyang Thakkar

Photo Source: Yash Raj Films

Divyang Thakkar grew up in Mumbai, although he was born and is from Gujarat. After finishing high school, he went on to study filmmaking at Whistling Woods, the film school in Mumbai.

He is known for his work in Gujarati cinema, with many citing his work in Kevi Rite Jaish as a landmark in Gujarati cinema. In 2022, he transitioned from acting to directing, and directed the film Jayeshbhai Jordaar, starring Ranveer Singh.

Did you know? 

Divyang Thakkar is married to his co-star from Kevi Rite Jaish, Veronica Kalpana-Gautam.

2. Atlee

Photo Source: Wikimedia Commons

Before Atlee made his Bollywood debut, he worked primarily in Tamil cinema. He managed to break into the industry when he was only 19 years old, and worked for the director S. Shankar as an assistant to the director.

When he was 25, he directed a short film called Mugaputhagam. This film received widespread critical acclaim, and went viral on social media. He went on to direct his first feature film two years later, and has not looked back ever since. After several years in Tamil cinema, he directed Shah Rukh Khan in the hit film Jawan, which marked his Bollywood debut.

Did you know? 

Jawan is Atlee’s highest-grossing film to date.

1. Kishan Shrikanth

Photo Source: Wikimedia Commons

Kishan Shrikanth is the youngest director in Bollywood! This talented young man was something of a child prodigy, and began acting in movies and directing them at a very young age. After finishing sophomore year of high school, he wanted to skip his undergraduate degree and immediately begin a Master’s program. Although it took some time to convince the authorities about his skill and ability, he was eventually able to do his Master’s degree in Multimedia Studies.

When he was 13, he directed the film C/o Footpath (Care of Footpath), and starred in it. The film also featured several notable stars in the industry, including Jackie Shroff, B. Jayashree, and Saurabh Shukla.

Did you know? 

Kishan Shrikanth won the Guinness World Record for being the “youngest director of a professionally made feature-length film” in 2006.

Conclusion

In this article, we took a closer look at some of the youngest directors in Bollywood. As you can see from the list above, this industry is definitely not lacking in talent, and is known for the volume of films that it produces every year. The directors on this list have made several amazing films, and we highly encourage you to look them up and watch some of them!