Hansal Mehta Biography
Born : 29 April 1968, in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
He directed several other television series like Amrita (1994), Highway (1995), Yaadein (1995), Lakshya (1998), etc. These television soaps were appreciated by the critics and were popular with the masses.
Mehta made his Bollywood directorial debut with Jayate (1999), a part of the Indian Panorama 1999-2000 at the International Film Festival of India (IFFI), Hyderabad. After this, he directed ‘Dil Pe Mat Le Yaar!!’ (2000), which was based on the issue of migrants in Mumbai and the ways in which circumstances shape the lives of people. Starring Manoj Bajpai and Tabu, the film did not do well at the box office, but was critically appreciated for its dark humour.
Chhal (2002), a polished gangster film was his next film, which got him attention for his direction and characterization. He also made an impact with his short film in the anthology film Dus Kahaniyaan, (2007).
Mehta received recognition for his next film Shahid (2013), which was based on the life of Shahid Azmi, a human rights activist and lawyer who was murdered in 2010. Starring Rajkummar Rao, the film received widespread praise for its content and bagged several National Awards, including the award for Best Actor.
After the success of the film, Mehta again cast Rao in his next film City Lights (2014). A remake of the British film Metro Manila (2013), the film traces the story of a farmer as he makes his journey to Mumbai for a better life. The film was highly acclaimed and the performance of Rao was appreciated.
Mehta’s next film Aligarh (2015) starring Manoj Bajpai in the titular role is based on the story of Shrinivas Ramchandra Siras, a professor of Marathi at Aligarh Muslim University who was suspended from the University for being gay. The film premiered at the Busan Film Festival and was praised unanimously for the direction and stellar performances.