Aditya Dhar
Aditya Dhar | |
|---|---|
Aditya Dhar in 2019 | |
| Born | 12 March 1983 (age 42) New Delhi, India |
| Alma mater | Delhi University |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 2006–present |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 1 |
Aditya Dhar (born 12 March 1983) is an Indian film director, screenwriter, producer and lyricist who works in Hindi films. In 2019, he made his directorial debut with the war film Uri: The Surgical Strike; which became the fourth highest grossing Indian film of the year, and earned him the National Film Award for Best Direction.[1] In 2025, his spy film Dhurandhar emerged as the highest grossing Indian film of the year.[2][3]
Early and personal life
Dhar was born on 12 March 1983 in New Delhi into a Kashmiri Pandit family.[4][5] His mother is Suneeta Dhar, former Dean at Delhi University, where he also graduated before spending nearly two decades with 'Music Theatre,' shaping his screenwriting career.[6][7] In 2021, he co-founded his own production company, B62 Studios, alongwith his elder brother Lokesh Dhar.[8]
On 4 June 2021, Dhar married an Indian actress Yami Gautam in a traditional Hindu ceremony.[9][10] Their first child, a son named Vedavid Dhar, was born on 10 May 2024.[11][12]
Career
2006-2018: Beginning
In 2006, Dhar moved to Mumbai and began his career as an assistant director. He contributed lyrics for songs composed by Raghav Sachar in the film Kabul Express, director by Kabir Khan;[13] along with Haal-e-Dil and Daddy Cool.[14] He also contributed dialogues to director Priyadarshan's films Aakrosh and Tezz.[15]
2019 onwards: Breakthrough and success
In 2019, Dhar made his directorial debut with Uri: The Surgical Strike, an war action film starring Vicky Kaushal, Yami Gautam and Paresh Rawal; was produced by Ronnie Screwvala under RSVP Movies banner and filmed in Serbia.[16] It was based on real-life retaliation operations following the 2016 Uri attack and received widespread acclaim,[17] grossing over ₹3.5 billion (US$41 million) worldwide, becoming tenth highest-grossing Indian film domestically.[18][19] For this film, he received the National Film Award for Best Director and the Filmfare Award for Best Debut Director.
Dhar was scheduled to collaborate with Vicky Kaushal again for the mythological superhero film The Immortal Ashwatthama.[20] In 2021, the film was planned as a trilogy and was expected to begin filming;[21] however, it was shelved due to the COVID-19 pandemic and budgetary constraints.[22][23] His other cinematic works under his banner B62 Studios include the critically acclaimed political film Article 370 and the horror thriller Baramulla.[24]
On 5 December 2025, Dhar’s second directorial, a spy thriller Dhurandhar was released, featuring Ranveer Singh, Akshaye Khanna, R. Madhavan, Sanjay Dutt and Arjun Rampal, produced by B62 Studios and Jio Studios.[25] His filmmaking was well received;[26] and the film ranked fourteenth highest grossing Indian films of all time.[27] Originally conceived as a single film, he later opted for a two-part release;[28] with Part 2 scheduled to release 19 March 2026.[29][30]
Filmography
| Year | Title | Director | Screenwriter | Producer | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Boond | Associate | Yes | No | Short film casting director |
|
| 2010 | Aakrosh | No | Dialogues | No | [31] | |
| 2012 | Tezz | No | Dialogues | No | [32] | |
| 2019 | Uri: The Surgical Strike | Yes | Yes | No | [33] | |
| 2024 | Article 370 | No | Yes | Yes | [34] | |
| 2025 | Dhoom Dhaam | No | Yes | Yes | [35] | |
| Baramulla | No | Yes | Yes | [36] | ||
| Dhurandhar | Yes | Yes | Yes | [37] | ||
| 2026 | Dhurandhar: Part 2 - Revenge † | Yes | Yes | Yes | [38] |
Discography
As lyricist
| Year | Film | Title | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | Kabul Express | "Kabul Fiza" | [39] |
| "Banjar" | |||
| "Keh Raha Mera Dil" | |||
| "Yeh Main Aaya Kahaan Hoon" | |||
| 2007 | Play it Loud (Album) |
All songs | |
| 2008 | Haal-e-Dil | "Rang" | [40] |
| "Khwahish" | |||
| 2009 | Daddy Cool | All songs | [41] |
| 2011 | Phhir | 4 songs | [42] |
Awards and nominations
| Year | Award | Category | Work | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 66th National Film Awards | Best Director | Uri: The Surgical Strike | Won | [43] |
| Jagran Film Festival | Best Debut Director | Won | [44] | ||
| 26th Screen Awards | Best Director | Nominated | [45] | ||
| Most Promising Debut Director | Won | ||||
| 2020 | 65th Filmfare Awards | Best Director | Nominated | [46] | |
| Best Debut Director | Won | ||||
| Zee Cine Awards | Best Director | Nominated | |||
| Most Promising Director | Won | ||||
| 2021 | 21st IIFA Awards | Best Director | Won | [47] | |
| Best Story | Nominated |
References
- ^ "'Uri' box office collection Day 53: The Vicky Kaushal starrer military drama is now the tenth highest grosser film ever". The Times of India. 5 March 2019. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 17 December 2025.
- ^ *"'Dhurandhar' box office collection day 12: The Ranveer Singh, Akshaye Khanna, R Madhavan starrer continues its winning streak by collecting Rs 30 crore on second Tuesday, crosses Rs 410 crore". The Times of India. 17 December 2025. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 17 December 2025.
- "Dhurandhar Movie Review: Ranveer Singh's subdued yet scorching screen presence fuels this power-packed Karachi mafia thriller". The Times of India. Retrieved 21 December 2025.
- ^ *"Dhurandhar box office collection day 12: Ranveer Singh film crosses ₹400 crore with 0 dip, beats Dangal, Salaar lifetime". Hindustan Times. 16 December 2025. Retrieved 17 December 2025.
- "Top 2nd Mondays of all time at Hindi Box Office: Dhurandhar reigns supreme, Pushpa 2 follows". PINKVILLA. 16 December 2025. Retrieved 17 December 2025.
- ^ "Aditya Dhar profile on Times f India". The Times of India. Retrieved 26 January 2019.
- ^ Sinha, Seema (15 January 2019). "Uri director Aditya Dhar on telling the story of surgical strikes and why it's an army film, not propaganda". Firstpost. Retrieved 15 April 2022.
- ^ Chakraborty, Juhi (12 March 2021). "Uri director Aditya Dhar's birthday wish: We are really frustrated; I want to have a normal life again". Hindustan Times. Retrieved 26 February 2022.
- ^ "Aditya Dhar Biography". celebrityborns.com. Retrieved 17 December 2025.
- ^ "Aditya Dhar Upcoming Film Dhurandhar Biography - Rapture Muse". rapturemuse.com. Retrieved 18 December 2025.
- ^ "Yami Gautam ties the knot with Aditya Dhar". The Indian Express. 4 June 2021. Retrieved 4 June 2021.
- ^ "Yami Gautam marries Uri director Aditya Dhar in intimate wedding". India Today. 4 June 2021. Retrieved 4 June 2021.
- ^ "Yami Gautam, Aditya Dhar welcome baby boy, name him Vedavid". The Hindu. PTI. 20 May 2024. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 20 May 2024.
- ^ "Yami Gautam Dhar opens up on son Vedavid: 'I still don't believe sometimes that I am a mother'". The Indian Express. 14 November 2024. Retrieved 17 December 2025.
- ^ NIjhari, Apoorva (29 February 2020). "Meet Aditya Dhar, The Man Behind Vicky Kaushal's Meteoric Success With 'Uri: The Surgical Strike'". MensXP. Retrieved 18 December 2025.
- ^ "'It would look stupid if we showed Ajay in college". www.rediff.com. Archived from the original on 4 March 2010. Retrieved 18 December 2025.
- ^ "Aakrosh, Knock-out hit theatres today". Hindustan Times. 15 October 2010. Retrieved 18 December 2025.
- ^ "Raazi for any role". Telegraph India.
Uri will change that. It is an out and out action film.
- ^ "Vicky Kaushal: 'Uri' was physically the most challenging film for me". The Times of India. 28 September 2018. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 21 December 2025.
- ^ "Worldwide Highest Grossing Bollywood Movies on 2019 - Bollywood Hungama". Bollywood Hungama. Archived from the original on 4 February 2019. Retrieved 21 December 2025.
- ^ "Uri Box Office Collection: Vicky Kaushal's movie nearing Rs 250 crore in India; first blockbuster of 2019 - BusinessToday". Business Today. 7 March 2019. Retrieved 21 December 2025.
- ^ "New Year special Vicky Kaushal: I wish for the world to get rid of coronavirus in 2021". Hindustan Times. 1 January 2021. Retrieved 8 February 2022.
- ^ "First Look: Vicky Kaushal reunites with 'Uri' director for 'The Immortal Ashwatthama'". Free Press Journal. Retrieved 8 February 2022.
- ^ "Aditya Dhar reveals why The Immortal Ashwatthama was shelved; says budget was 'too big'". Hindustan Times. Retrieved 8 February 2024.
- ^ "Uri director Aditya Dhar turns producer; to revive his debut film Raat Baki with Yami Gautam and Pratik Gandhi". 11 January 2019. Retrieved 11 March 2022.
- ^ *Ramachandran, Naman (11 March 2024). "'Article 370' Producer B62 Reveals Slate, Plans for East Asian Collaborations (Exclusive)". Variety. Retrieved 19 December 2025.*"Baramulla Movie Review: An atmospheric, thrilling mystery that keeps you hooked". The Times of India. Retrieved 19 December 2025.
- ^ "Confirmed! Ranveer Singh teams up with Aditya Dhar for his next backed by Jio Studios and B62 Studio; exciting details out!". Bollywood Hungama. 26 July 2024. Retrieved 27 July 2024.
- ^ "Dhurandhar Movie Review: Ranveer Singh's subdued yet scorching screen presence fuels this power-packed Karachi mafia thriller". The Times of India. Retrieved 19 December 2025.
- ^ *"'Dhurandhar' box office collections Day 14". The Times of India. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 19 December 2025.
- "Dhurandhar Movie Review: Don't let runtime fool you, Aditya Dhar fires up a crackling Ranveer-Akshaye showdown". Pinkvilla. 5 December 2025. Retrieved 19 December 2025.
- ^ "The Real Reason why Aditya Dhar is releasing Ranveer Singh's Dhurandhar in two parts". Bollywood Hungama. 19 November 2025. Retrieved 5 December 2025.
- ^ "Dhurandhar hits theatres: Second part of Ranveer's film to release on this date". India Today. 5 December 2025. Retrieved 5 December 2025.
- ^ Sata, Fenil (5 December 2025). "Breaking: Dhurandhar ends with the promise of a sequel; to release on Eid, on March 19, 2026; clash with Toxic, Dhamaal 4". Bollywood Hungama. Retrieved 5 December 2025.
- ^ "Aakrosh, Knock-out hit theatres today". Hindustan Times. 15 October 2010. Retrieved 19 December 2025.
- ^ "Ajay Devgn's Tezz gets mixed reviews". Hindustan Times. 27 April 2012. Retrieved 19 December 2025.
- ^ "Uri: The Surgical Strike box office collection — Vicky Kaushal's action film crosses Rs 100 cr mark-Entertainment News , Firstpost". Firstpost. 21 January 2019. Archived from the original on 6 October 2023. Retrieved 19 December 2025.
- ^ "Article 370 Box Office Collection Day 1: Good Start To Yami Gautam-Priyamani's Political Drama". English Jagran. 24 February 2024. Archived from the original on 24 February 2024. Retrieved 19 December 2025.
- ^ "Dhoom Dhaam teaser: Yami Gautam, Pratik Gandhi on a rollercoaster of action-comedy". India Today. Archived from the original on 22 January 2025. Retrieved 19 December 2025.
- ^ "In Netflix's 'Baramulla', Manav Kaul is a cop investigating child disappearances in Kashmir". The Week. Retrieved 19 December 2025.
- ^ Ray, Sanjana (19 November 2025). "Dhurandhar release date, cast, characters, true story and everything else you need to know". GQ India. Retrieved 19 December 2025.
- ^ "Dhurandhar hits theatres: Second part of Ranveer's film to release on this date". India Today. 5 December 2025. Retrieved 19 December 2025.
- ^ "Kabul Express - Haunting, lilting and enchanting". www.yashrajfilms.com. Archived from the original on 4 August 2025. Retrieved 21 December 2025.
- ^ "Ajay, Kajol to do 'train song'". hindustantimes.com. Archived from the original on 17 February 2015. Retrieved 21 December 2025.
- ^ "Daddy Cool Movie Review {2.5/5}: Critic Review of Daddy Cool by Times of India". The Times of India. Retrieved 21 December 2025.
- ^ "Phhir (2011) Cast - Actor, Actress, Director, Producer, Music Director | Cinestaan". Cinestaan. Archived from the original on 20 July 2023. Retrieved 21 December 2025.
- ^ "National Film Awards: Vicky Kaushal And Ayushmann Khurrana Share Best Actor". NDTV. Retrieved 9 August 2019.
- ^ "10th Jagran Film Festival was inaugurated". currentaffairs.gktoday.in. Archived from the original on 20 July 2019. Retrieved 25 January 2021.
- ^ Kerner, Lou (9 December 2019). "Star Screen Awards 2019 Winners List – Who won Star Screen Awards this year?". Gulf News. Retrieved 23 December 2019.
- ^ "Filmfare Awards 2020 winners list: Gully Boy makes history, wins 13 awards including Best Film, Actor and Actress". Firstpost. 16 February 2020. Retrieved 16 February 2020.
- ^ "IIFA Awards 2020 – Popular Award Winners". IIFA Awards. 25 November 2021. Archived from the original on 26 November 2021. Retrieved 28 November 2021.