These directors caught the acting bug

The former documentarian made his directorial debut with Hip Hip Hurray (1984) and went on to direct Damul (1985), Parinati (1989) and Mrityudand (1997), which received great accolades for its acting and filmmaking. Jha made his acting debut in his own film, Jai Gangaajal (2016), he plays B.N. Singh, a Deputy to Priyanka Chopra's character Superintendent of Police Abha Mathur.

Karan Johar got his big screen debut in Aditya Chopra's Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (1995) playing one of Shah Rukh Khan's best friends, Rocky. 20 years later, he ventured back to acting with Anurag Kashyap's Bombay Velvet as the villain Kaizad Khambatta. Prior to that, he had made several cameos on film as himself in films like Fashion (2008), Luck by Chance (2009) and Shamitabh (2015). Recently, he played himself in his own home production Shaandaar (2015).

The director of such hard-hitting films as Haasil (2003), Shagird (2011) and Paan Singh Tomar (2012), Tigmanshu Dhulia already had the training to become an actor. Dhulia studied acting at the National School of Drama and was cast by his good friend Anurag Kashyap in his ambitious gangster saga Gangs of Wasseypur (2012) as the main villain. Last year, he had roles in Manjhi: The Mountain Man as the atrocious zamindar and the remake of Hero as the Inspector General Shrikant Mathur.

Filmmaker and occasional choreographer to friends only, Farah Khan made her acting debut as the lead in Bela Segal's Shirin Farhad Ki Toh Nikal Padi (2012) opposite Boman Irani. A rom-com featured on two 40-something Parsi characters, the film garnered mostly positive reviews for her acting and chemistry with Irani. Farah Khan had previously directed Boman in her own films, Main Hoon Na (2004) and Happy New Year (2014).

Farhan Akhtar made his acting and singing debut in Abhishek Kapoor's Rock On!! (2008) and he hasn't looked back since. He had followed it up with lead roles in Luck by Chance (2009), Karthik Calling Karthik (2010) and Bhaag Milkha Bhaag (2013). The busy artist also made time to produce several films and direct the sequel to his Don remake, Don 2 (2011). He is returning back to the role that made him famous as an actor with Rock On!! 2, due for release in 2016.

The multi-talented Anand brothers all pitched to help each other out on many of their films. Vijay started out as an assistant to elder brother Chetan in Taxi Driver (1954) for which he also wrote the story and dialogues. Of course, middle brother Dev was usually the star in these endeavours. He himself began acting in Chetan’s Joru Ka Bhai (1955) opposite Kum Kum and notched up other screen credits in Haqeeqat (1964), Tere Mere Sapne (1971) and Kora Kagaz (1974).

Not many are aware that Tinnu Anand began his career as an assistant to Satyajit Ray. He seized the opportunity to work with Ray after turning down a role in Saat Hindustani (1970) which ended up going to Amitabh Bachchan. Anand directed his first film Duniya Meri Jeb Mein (1979) starring Shashi and Rishi Kapoor. However, he got disillusioned with directing and ventured into acting with acclaimed roles from Nayakan (1987) to a deadly assassin in Pushpak (1987). Today, he has over 150 roles under his filmography.

Writer-director Mahesh Manjrekar commenced his career with sensitive features like Aai (1995), Vaastav (1999) and Astitva (2000). In 2001, he branched out into acting with films like Ehsaas and was a part of the ensemble star cast of Sanjay Gupta’s Reservoir Dogs remake, Kaante (2003). Since then, he has continued acting in Hindi and regional cinema. His most recent role was as the descendant of Shivaji, Shahuji Raje Bhonsale in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Bajirao Mastani (2015).

Anurag Kashyap is used to multi-tasking. That’s probably why he’s tried his hand at all different aspects of filmmaking from writing to producing to directing and even acting. He began with small roles in his own productions before enacting a key role in Tigmanshu Dhulia’s Shagird (2011). Kashyap also took up a small role in Michael Winterbottom’s Tess of the d’Urbervilles remake Trishna (2011) starring Freida Pinto and Riz Ahmed. He has already played a part in the upcoming Ghoomketu with Nawazuddin Siddiqui and reportedly has a role in Sudhir Mishra’s Aur Devdas.

Film and theatre director Rajat Kapoor started out as director after assisting Mani Kaul and Kumar Shahani. His first film was the unreleased Private Dectective: Two Plus Two Plus One (1997). In 2001, he had a breakthrough as an actor in diverse projects as Dil Chahta Hai and Monsoon Wedding. Since then he has managed to balance both directing and acting, helming features as Mixed Doubles (2006) and Ankhon Dekhi (2013) and appearing in international films as Midnight's Children (2012).