After Raanjhana and Atrangi Re, Dhanush (right) and Aanand L Rai will be collaborating for a third time.
Aanand L. Rai found his niche in the films with his third directorial, the 2011 hit film Tanu Weds Manu
One of the renowned filmmakers of the new-age Hindi film industry, Aanand L. Rai is best known for romantic comedy films and light dramas. The films directed by him are mass entertainers and at the same time, are critically acclaimed. Starting his career in the TV industry, he went on a hiatus and returned to make a feature film.
He directed his first film, Strangers, which was released in 2005. The film went unnoticed at the box office. His second film, Thodi Life Thoda Magic came out in 2008 but it did not perform as per the expectations despite having a good star cast.
Rai found his niche in the films with his third directorial, the 2011 hit film Tanu Weds Manu. The film was a romantic comedy and performed extremely well at the box office. Talented actors such as R Madhavan and National Award-winner Kangana Ranaut portrayed the titular roles.
The story of the film was fresh and grabbed the attention of the younger audiences. The film also had an extremely talented supporting cast that definitely helped make the film a blockbuster. It was after this film that Rai founded a production house of his own known, called Colour Yellow Productions.
The production house went on to back several acclaimed films such as Tumbbad, Laal Kaptan and Manmarziyaan, among others.
On his birthday, let’s take a look at some of the films directed by Aanand L Rai:
- Tanu Weds Manu (2011)
Manu, played by R Madhvan is a doctor who returns to India looking for a bride. He falls in love at first sight with a free-spirited Tanu, played by Kangana Ranaut. Tanu enjoys the attention but has plans otherwise. The film also has a strong supporting cast, including Jimmy Sheirgill, Deepak Dobriyal and Swara Bhaskar. - Raanjhanaa (2013)
Living in Banaras, Kundan, played by Dhanush, is the son of a Hindu priest. All his young life, he tries to woo Zoya, played by Sonam Kapoor, in the most unique ways, only to discover that his childhood sweetheart is planning to marry a student politician she met at her university. Kundan leaves no stone unturned to show his love for Zoya. Mohd. Zeeshan Ayyub, Kumud Mishra, Swara Bhaskar and Abhay Deol did fabulous jobs as supporting actors. - Tanu Weds Manu Returns (2015)
Following the original storyline, Tanu and Manu’s marriage falls apart and they decide to separate. Manu bumps into Tanu’s doppelganger Kusum, but soon after, Tanu plans to return. The film earned Kangana her third National Award for Best Actor. The unique star cast – Jimmy Sheirgill, Deepak Dobriyal, Mohd. Zeeshan Ayyub, Swara Bhaskar – worked wonders for the film. - Zero (2018)
Bauaa Singh, played by Shah Rukh Khan, is a vertically challenged man. He goes through a hard time meeting a partner for marriage. He meets Aafia Bhinder (Anushka Sharma), a scientist having cerebral palsy but absconds her after winning a chance to meet Babita Kumari, a Bollywood actress played by Katrina Kaif. Life takes a reverse turn and Bauaa returns to Aafia through a life-changing experience. - Atrangi Re (2021)
A very creative storyline talking about a girl from Bihar, Sara Ali Khan, finding love in two parallel timelines. A Tamil boy, Dhanush, comes across her and they both fall in love. The narrative of the film is non-linear and syncs perfectly with one another. Akshay Kumar garnered praise for his role as Sara’s boyfriend but only in her imagination.
