By Hemant SharmaIndian cinema is the largest industry of its kind in the world with a history stretching over a century. From Bollywood to regional cinema, Indian cinema is a vibrant and thriving landscape entertaining the audience year after year. Directors have and continue to play a major role in shaping Indian cinema. Film direction is a complex undertaking involving multiple tasks, such as reading and editing screenplays, directing the actors, working with editors and post-production team, coordinating with the production house and much more. It is the responsibility of a director to set the tone, style and atmosphere of a movie. Some film directors stand out for their unique styles of storytelling, establishing strong connect with the audience and strong artistic acumen and vision. Let’s have a look at the top 10 film directors in India for 2025.
1. S.S. Rajamouli
S.S. Rajamouli is the highest grossing Indian film director of all time. He works in Tamil cinema and is known all over the world for his epic, action and fantasy movies. The director has several awards to his credit, including five Filmfare Awards, four National Film Awards, a New York Film Critics Circle Award and a Padma Shri by the Government of India.
S.S. Rajamouli is best known for directing Bahubali: The Beginning, Bahubali 2: The Conclusion and RRR which are among the top ten highest grossing films in India. Some of his other high grossing movies are Maghadheera, Sye, Eega, Modern Masters and Chatrapathi.
2. Rajkumar Hirani
Rajkumar Hirani is known as the one of the most successful movie directors in Hindi cinema or Bollywood. He has built a reputation for making movies blending comedy and humour with social messages. Hirani has won several awards, including eleven Filmfare Awards and four National Film Awards.
Rajkumar Hirani debuted as a director with the 2003 Hindi comedy drama Munnabhai M.B.B.S which received widespread acclaim and was a huge commercial success. He followed it up with many more hits like Lage Raho Munnabhai, 3 Idiots, PK and Sanju.
3. Sanjay Leela Bhansali
Sanjay Leela Bhansali is a Hindi film director who has become synonymous with period dramas, and is known for presenting grand visual stories to the audience. He has won a number of awards in his career, including a Padma Shri, twelve Filmfare Awards and seven National Film Awards.
Sanjay Leela Bhansali shot to fame for his two critically and commercially successful movies, Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam and Devdas. Thereafter, his reputation soared on the back of multiple hit movies like Black, Gooliyon Ki Raas Leela, Bajirao Mastani and Padmavat.
4. Mani Ratnam
Mani Ratnam is a film director who primarily works in Tamil cinema but has also made movies in Hindi, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam languages. He is known for making movies featuring impressive cinematography and strong performances, and focusing on social issues, love and emotions. Ratnam is a recipient of six Filmfare Awards South, four Filmfare Awards and seven National Film Awards.
Mani Ratnam’s breakthrough movie was the 1986 Tamil romantic drama named Mouna Ragam. Some of his notable movies are Roja, Bombay, Dil Se, O Kadhal Kanmani, Guru, Ponnyin Selvan I and Ponnyin Selvan II.
5. Karan Johar
Karan Johar is a prominent film director and producer in Hindi cinema or Bollywood. He is well known for making romantic and family dramas. Johar has numerous awards to his credit, including a Padma Shri, seven Filmfare Awards and two National Film Awards. The name of his production company is Dharma Productions.
Karan Johar debuted in the year 1998 with the superhit romantic comedy drama Kuch Kuch Hota Hai. Some of his other commercially successful movies are Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham, My Name is Khan, Shershah, Student of the Year and Raazi.
6. Rohit Shetty
Rohit Shetty is a Hindi film director and producer who is popularly called The King of Blockbuster Entertainers. He has earned a reputation for making movies featuring top-notch action sequences, comedy and drama. Shetty is also a television personality and hosted the famous reality show Khatron Ke Khiladi.
Rohit Shetty’s breakthrough was the 2006 comedy movie Golmaal. His other commercially successful movies include Singham, Singham Returns, Chennai Express, Simmba and Sooryavanshi.
7. Zoya Akhtar
Zoya Akhtar is a film director and writer working in Hindi cinema. She is one of the most critically acclaimed film directors in India and is known for nuanced storylines and ability to explore societal issues. Akhtar has four Filmfare Awards to her credit.
Zoya Akhtar debuted in the year 2009 with the movie Luck By Chance which won her the Filmfare Award for Best Debut Director. Her other notable movies are Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara, Gully Boy and Ghost Stories.
8. Anurag Kashyap
Anurag Kashyap is a Hindi film director who is known for showing the dark underbelly of the society through his realistic films. He is a recipient of four Filmfare Awards and also holds the French honour of Order of Arts and Letters.
Anurag Kashyap debuted with the 2004 crime thriller Black Friday which received widespread critical acclaim. Some of his other notable films are Dev. D, Gangs of Wasseypur, Ugly and Gulaal.
9. Priyadarshan
Priyadarshan is a film director who has made movies primarily in Hindi and Malayalam. He is an expert in making comedy dramas and is a recipient of several awards, including a Padma Shri, three National Film Awards and multiple Kerala State Film Awards.
Priyadarshan started his career in Malayalam cinema before switching to Bollywood. Some of his notable movies are Kaalapani, Chandralekha, Hera Pheri, Hungama, Bhagam Bhag, Bhul Bhulaiya and Gaaram Masala.
10. Meghna Gulzar
Meghna Gulzar is a film writer and director who is known for making movies concerned with real-life incidents and social issues. Her breakthrough movie was the 2015 crime drama Talvar which was critically acclaimed. Other notable movies directed by Gulzar are Dus Kahaniyan, Guilty, Chaapak and Sam Bahadur.
Conclusion
Top Indian film directors operate across domains, right from love and comedy to social narratives and thrillers. Indian cinema continues to be a hub of engaging and memorable movies due to the efforts of talented directors.