Kabir Khan is an Indian film director, screenwriter and cinematographer who works in Hindi cinema. He started his career working in documentary films, and then made his feature film directorial debut in 2006 with the adventure thriller Kabul Express. He is best known for directing Ek Tha Tiger (2012) and Bajrangi Bhaijaan (2015). His latest film 83 was released in 2021.[2] new release upcoming
Kabir Khan | |
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Born | |
Alma mater | Kirori Mal College, Delhi University Jamia Millia Islamia |
Occupations |
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Spouse | Mini Mathur |
Children | 2 |
Parent | Rasheeduddin Khan |
He is the board member of Mumbai Academy of the Moving Image.[3]
Khan was born to Rasheeduddin Khan, a Muslim Urdu Speaking father and Leela Narayan Rao, a Hindu Telugu-speaking mother. Rasheeduddin, who was a Pathan hailing from Kaimganj in Farrukhabad district, Uttar Pradesh, was a nephew of Dr. Zakir Hussain (President of India – 1967 to 1969) and a communist politician favored by Indira Gandhi as a nominated member of the Rajya Sabha at a relatively young age, in the early 1970s. His sister, Anusheh, is married to film-maker Vijay Krishna Acharya, director of films like Tashan and Dhoom 3.[4]
Khan studied at Kirori Mal College of Delhi University, as well as Jamia Millia Islamia in Delhi.[5] He is married to television host & actress Mini Mathur, with whom he has 2 children,[6] Vivaan and Sairah.[7]
In initial days, he worked with prominent journalist Saeed Naqvi.[8] Before becoming a full-time filmmaker he worked with Saeed Naqvi as a cameraman and director and travelled around the world covering international issues. He travelled to about 60 countries with Saeed Naqvi and shot interviews and documentaries for him. During his work as a cinematographer, he had the opportunity to meet world leaders such as Nelson Mandela and Fidel Castro.[9][8]
Khan started his career at age 25 as a cinematographer for the Discovery Channel documentary film Beyond the Himalayas (1996) directed by Gautam Ghosh. He then made his own directorial debut with the documentary The Forgotten Army (1999) based on Subhas Chandra Bose's Indian National Army. He then directed two more documentaries before shifting his focus to mainstream cinema.[10]
Khan made his mainstream directorial debut with the Yash Raj Films-backed adventure thriller Kabul Express (2006). Starring John Abraham and Arshad Warsi in lead roles, the film received mixed-to-positive reviews upon release, but emerged as a commercial failure at the box-office.[11] It, however, earned Khan the Indira Gandhi Award for Best Debut Film of a Director.
He followed it up with the crime thriller New York (2009), again starring Abraham alongside Katrina Kaif and Neil Nitin Mukesh in lead roles. The film, which revolved around the impact of the September 11 attacks and its aftermath on the lives of three college students (played by the lead trio), received highly positive reviews upon release. It also emerged as a commercial success at the box-office, ranking as the seventh highest-grossing Hindi film of the year.
His next directorial venture, the action thriller Ek Tha Tiger (2012), again starring Kaif alongside Salman Khan, marked the end of his 3-film deal with Yash Raj Films. The first instalment in the YRF Spy Universe, the film received positive reviews from critics upon release, and emerged as the highest-grossing Hindi film of the year.[12]
After his 3-film deal with Yash Raj Films ended, Khan set up his own production company, and ventured into mainstream screenwriting with the adventure comedy-drama Bajrangi Bhaijaan (2015), starring Salman Khan and Kareena Kapoor in lead roles. The film received widespread critical acclaim upon release, and emerged as a major commercial success at the box-office, emerging as the highest-grossing Hindi film of the year, and currently ranks as the third highest-grossing Hindi film of all time and the seventh highest-grossing Indian film of all time. It also won him the National Film Award for Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment, in addition to earning him his first nomination for the Filmfare Award for Best Director.[13][14] Asked about the films use of the phrase Jai Shri Ram, he said that when he grew up, Jai Shri Ram was a benevolent expression, "rooted in our culture", but that the words have become aggressive, and that "it bothers me to see how we are becoming increasingly intolerant."[15][16]
After the widespread critical and commercial success of Bajrangi Bhaijaan, he collaborated with Kaif for the third time, alongside Saif Ali Khan in the action thriller Phantom (2015). The film was based on Hussain Zaidi's book Mumbai Avengers which revolved around the aftermath of 26/11 Mumbai attacks. It received mixed reviews from critics upon release, and emerged as a below-average grosser at the box-office.[17]
Khan again collaborated with Salman for the third time on the war drama Tubelight (2017), an official remake of the 2015 American film Little Boy, which was based in the backdrop of the 1962 Sino-Indian war and marked the Hindi film debut of Chinese actress Zhu Zhu, with a worldwide release in June 2017. The film, just like the original, met with negative reviews, but was slightly better received for its direction and Salman's performance. It also emerged as a commercial failure at the box-office.[18]
In 2020, his first web series, The Forgotten Army: Azaadi Ke Liye, a 5-episode original based on Subhas Chandra Bose's Azad Hind Fauj, released on Amazon Prime Video. The series has a different premise from his 1999 documentary of the same name.
In 2021, he directed the biographical sports drama 83, based on India's historic victory at the 1983 Cricket World Cup, with Ranveer Singh plays the role of Kapil Dev, the Captain of the Indian Cricket Team. The film received widespread critical acclaim upon release, and earned Khan his second nomination for the Filmfare Award for Best Director.[19] Made on a budget of ₹270 crore, the film only managed a worldwide gross collection of ₹190.86 crore and was deemed a box-office bomb.[20]
He is next set to direct Kartik Aaryan in the sports biopic Chandu Champion which is set to release on 14 June 2024.[21] The film is based on the life and achievements of the boxer turned Paralympic gold medalist, Murlikant Petkar, including his historic triumph at the 1972 Summer Paralympics in Heidelberg, Germany.
He is also set to direct The Zookeeper, a Sino-Indian production.[22][23] It is a travel-related drama film which is being shot in the Chinese city of Chengdu its the surrounding regions.[24][25] The film has an estimated budget of $25 million (₹185 crore), and it will star a leading Indian actor and a leading Chinese actress.[26]
Artists | Kabul Express (2006) |
New York (2009) |
Ek Tha Tiger (2012) |
Bajrangi Bhaijaan (2015) |
Phantom (2015) |
Tubelight (2017) |
83 (2021) |
Salman Khan | |||||||
Katrina Kaif | |||||||
John Abraham | |||||||
Roshan Seth | |||||||
Nawazuddin Siddiqui | |||||||
Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub | |||||||
Om Puri | |||||||
Raghav Sachar | |||||||
Pritam | |||||||
Pankaj Awasthi | |||||||
Sohail Sen | |||||||
Sajid–Wajid | |||||||
Julius Packiam | |||||||
KK |
Film | Award | Category | Result | Ref |
---|---|---|---|---|
The Forgotten Army | Film South Asia 1999 | Jury Award | Won | |
Kabul Express | 54th National Film Awards | Best Debut Director | Won | [27] |
2007 Asian First Film Festival | Swarovski Trophy for Best Director | Won | [28] [29] | |
"Purple Orchid" Award for the Best Film | Won | |||
New York | 33rd Cairo International Film Festival | Golden Pyramid Award for Best Film | Nominated | |
Ek Tha Tiger | Stardust Awards 2013 | Hottest New Filmmaker | Won | |
3rd BIG Star Entertainment Awards | Most Entertaining Director | Nominated | ||
Bajrangi Bhaijaan | 63rd National Film Awards | Best Popular Film with Entertainment (share with Salman Khan and Rockline Venkatesh) | Won | [30] |
61st Filmfare Awards | Best Director | Nominated | [31] | |
2015 Stardust Awards | Best Film of the Year | Won | [32] [33] | |
Best Director | Won | |||
Best Screenplay (with Vijayendra Prasad) | Nominated | |||
Big Star Entertainment Awards 2015 | Most Entertaining Social Film | Nominated | [34] [35] | |
Most Entertaining Director | Won | |||
Indian Telly Awards | Gary Binder Award for the Young Successful Director of the Year | Won | ||
Indian Television Academy Awards | Popular Director | Won | ||
17th IIFA Awards | Best Film | Won | [36] | |
Best Director | Nominated | |||
Best Screenplay (with Parveez Shaikh) | Won | |||
11th Apsara Awards | Best Film | Won | [37] | |
Best Director | Nominated | |||
Best Screenplay | Won | |||
22nd Screen Awards | Best Film | Won | [38] | |
Best Director | Won | |||
Zee Cine Awards | Best Film (Viewers' Choice) | Won | ||
83 | 22nd IIFA Awards | Best Film | Nominated | |
Best Director | Nominated | |||
Best Story | Won | |||
67th Filmfare Awards | Best Director | Nominated | ||
Best Screenplay | Nominated | |||
Best Dialogue | Nominated | |||
— | Bollywood Hungama Style Icons | Most Stylish Filmmaker | Nominated | [39] |
In 1995, I got the opportunity to assist Saeed Naqvi, a senior journalist who was shooting a documentary in South Africa on the role of people of Indian origin in the African National Congress