The romantic comedy-dramas Tanu Weds Manu (2011) and its sequel Tanu Weds Manu Returns (2015), as well as the romantic drama Raanjhanaa (2013), are among the works that Indian film director and producer Aanand L. Rai (born 1970/1971) is best known for directing. The latter two earned him nominations for the Filmfare Award for Best Director.
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The romantic comedy-drama Atrangi Re (2021), the family comedy-drama Raksha Bandhan (2022), and the big-budget romance drama Zero (2018) were all directed by him thereafter.
Aanand L. Rai Childhood And Upbringing
Rai was raised in Delhi, where he was born. He completed his computer engineering degree in Aurangabad, Maharashtra, after completing his education in Delhi.
After India’s 1947 split, his family—whose original surname was Raisinghani—moved from Sindh to Dehradun.
Aanand L. Rai Career
prior to a film career
After leaving his engineering job to travel to Mumbai, Rai began working as an assistant to his older brother, television director Ravi Rai, on a number of television shows. Following extensive experience, he went on to direct his own productions.
Initial work, 2007–2008
Strangers (2007), a psychological thriller starring Jimmy Shergill, Kay Kay Menon, Nandana Sen, and Sonali Kulkarni, marked his directorial debut. The movie was modeled off Strangers on a Train (1951) by Alfred Hitchcock. Critics gave the movie unfavorable reviews, and it was a financial flop at the box office. His subsequent movie, Thodi Life Thoda Magic (2008), starring Jackie Shroff and Parmeet Sethi, had a similar ending.
Success and breakthrough (2011-2015)
Aanand L. Rai founded Colour Yellow Productions in 2011 and it served as the umbrella company for all of his upcoming productions.
Tanu Weds Manu (2011), a romantic comedy-drama starring R. Madhavan and Kangana Ranaut in the key roles, marked his debut in the same year. With a global box office total of ₹56 crore, the movie became his first commercial hit. When it was released, critics gave it mixed to excellent reviews, praising the screenplay and concept in particular. The movie was the debut entry in the Tanu Weds Manu series.
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The love drama Raanjhanaa, which he directed in 2013, starred Dhanush on his Bollywood debut with Sonam Kapoor, Abhay Deol, and Swara Bhasker in the key parts. After earning ₹94 crore globally, the movie became his second consecutive commercial success at the box office, placing it as the tenth highest-grossing Hindi film of the year. When it was first released, critics gave it mixed to excellent reviews, praising the writing and direction in especially. Rai received his first nomination for the Filmfare Award’s Best Director category for Raanjhanaa.
Tanu Weds Manu Returns, the romantic comedy-drama that followed Tanu Weds Manu, was directed by Rai in 2015 and featured all of the original cast members in supporting parts. Upon its debut, the movie received overwhelmingly positive reviews from critics and became his third consecutive box office hit. At the box office, it brought in ₹243.6 crore globally and became a blockbuster. It was the highest-grossing female-led film in India at the time of its release, and it ranked as the fifth highest-grossing Hindi film of the year Rai received a second nomination for the Filmfare Award for Best Director for Tanu Weds Manu Returns.
Decline in career (2018–present)
The high-profile love drama Zero (2018), which starred Shah Rukh Khan, Anushka Sharma, and Katrina Kaif in the key roles, was his next film to direct. An alcoholic actress, a scientist with cerebral palsy, and a dwarf guy form a romantic triangle in the movie. Because of its A-list cast and Rai’s past successes, the movie had a lot of anticipation before its premiere, but critics gave it mediocre to unfavorable reviews and it was a commercial catastrophe at the box office.
Aanand L. Rai directed the romantic fantasy comedy-drama Atrangi Re in 2021, which starred Akshay Kumar, Sara Ali Khan, and Dhanush in the key parts. The movie was released on Disney+ Hotstar instead of in theaters after being postponed and rescheduled several times due to the statewide lockdown caused by the COVID-19 outbreak in India. When it was first released, the film received mixed reviews from critics who praised its unique idea but criticized the writing and overall storyline execution for being illogical.
Aanand L. Rai once again directed Kumar in the family comedy-drama Raksha Bandhan in 2022, costarring Bhumi Pednekar. Critics gave the movie varying to poor reviews, and it was a commercial failure at the box office.
Tere Ishk Mein, the stand-alone follow-up to Raanjhanaa, is slated for release in 2024 and will be directed by Rai.
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