Zoya Akhtar

Director ● Screenplay Writer ● Story Writer


Zoya Akhtar is an Indian film director and screenwriter. She made her debut as director with the critically acclaimed Luck By Chance in 2009. In 2011, she directed the critically and commercially successful film Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara and won the Filmfare Award for Best Director for it. Zoya started her career as co-director of a music video called "Price of Bullets" for a rock band. She has worked as a casting director for films including Dil Chahta Hai and Split Wide Open, and as an assistant director for her brother Farhan Akhtar's films, Lakshya and Dil Chahta Hai. She then worked as an executive producer for her longtime partner Reema Kagti's Honeymoon Travels Pvt. Ltd., also produced by Excel Entertainment. Zoya made her directorial debut with Luck By Chance (2009), starring her brother Farhan Akhtar and Konkana Sen Sharma. It tells the story of a struggling actor who breaks into the industry. The film was well received by critics, despite not doing well at the box office. In 2011, she directed Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara, a multistarrer with Hrithik Roshan, Abhay Deol, Farhan Akhtar, Katrina Kaif and Kalki Koechlin. It turned out to be a huge box office success and was well received by critics and won her Filmfare Award for Best Director. In 2013, Akhtar teamed up with Anurag Kashyap, Dibakar Banerjee and Karan Johar for Bombay Talkies. It was made as a celebration of 100 years of Indian cinema. She then went on to direct Dil Dhadakne Do (2015), a film based on a dysfunctional Punjabi family starring Anil Kapoor as an egotistical industrialist, Shefali Shah as his bitter socialite wife, and Priyanka Chopra and Ranveer Singh as their children. The film also featured Anushka Sharma and Farhan Akhtar as love interests for Singh and Chopra respectively.

Born on: 14 October, 1972

Born in: Mumbai, Maharashtra, India

Hindi 2020
Story Writer
Hindi 2019
Screenplay Writer
Hindi 2015
Story Writer, Screenplay Writer
Hindi 2013
Screenplay Writer
Hindi 2012
Story Writer, Screenplay Writer
Hindi 2011
Story Writer, Screenplay Writer
Hindi 2009
Story Writer, Screenplay Writer
Hindi 2008
Screenplay Writer
Hindi TBA
Director
Hindi 2020
Director
Hindi 2019
Director
Hindi 2018
Director
Hindi 2015
Director
Hindi 2013
Director
Hindi 2013
Director
Hindi 2011
Director
Hindi 2009
Director
Hindi 2004
First Assistant Director
Hindi 2019
Producer
Hindi 2016
Producer
Hindi 2009
Executive Producer
Hindi 2007
Executive Producer
Hindi 2004
Executive Producer
Hindi 2001
Casting Director
Trivia:
When she was asked on a popular talk show about which movie celebrity she would like to tail, the 'Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara' director mentioned T-Series boss Bhushan Kumar, but declined from revealing the reasons behind her offbeat choice.

Zoya is of the opinion that the 2012 sleeper hit 'Vicky Donor' was overrated and disappointing.

While Zoya is not very fond of celluloid love stories in general, her all-time favourite romantic film is 'Casablanca' and she thinks 'Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind' is a 'genius love story.'

Kareena and Zoya formed an interesting equation ever since they met for the first time at Shah Rukh Khan's home some years ago. Kareena asked Zoya if she thought 'Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge' was the best love story ever made. When Zoya disagreed, Kareena declared, with a sense of finality, 'If you don't like DDLJ, you'll never become a filmmaker!'