14.192.220.38: /* Onscreen appearances */

2021-08-11T08:02:21Z

Onscreen appearances

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{{Short description|Indian film director}}
{{EngvarB|date=September 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2013}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra
| image = Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra MFF (cropped).jpg
| caption = Mehra at the 17th Mumbai Film Festival
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1963|7|7}}
| birth_place = [[Delhi]], India
| years_active = 1986–present
| alma_mater = [[Shri Ram College of Commerce]]
| occupation = Film director, producer, screenwriter
| nationality = [[India]]n
}}

'''Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra''' (born 7 July 1963) is an Indian filmmaker, occasional actor and screenwriter. He is best known for writing and directing ''[[Rang De Basanti]]'' (2006) and ''[[Bhaag Milkha Bhaag]]'' (2013). He is the writer and director of the films ''[[Aks (2001 film)|Aks]]'' (2001) and ''[[Delhi-6]]'' (2009).

== Early life ==
He was born on 7 July 1963 in [[Delhi]].<ref>{{cite web|last1=Ghosh|first1=Sankhayan|title=Mirza-Sahiban is one of the greatest love stories|url=http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/interview/rakeysh-omprakash-mehra-speaks-on-mirzya-and-bollywood/article8005393.ece|work=The Hindu|access-date=25 April 2016|date=19 December 2015}}</ref> His father worked for the ''[[Claridges]]'' hotel in New Delhi.<ref name=ibn/> He was a part of the selection camp as a swimmer in the [[1982 Asian Games]] held at New Delhi but was not selected in the final round.<ref name=pioneer>{{cite news | url=http://www.dailypioneer.com/home/online-channel/367-potpourri/44380-bhaag-milkha-bhaag-not-about-sports-mehra.html | title='Bhaag Milkha Bhaag' not about sports: Mehra | work=[[The Pioneer (Indian newspaper)|The Pioneer]] | date=21 February 2012 | access-date=22 February 2012}}</ref><ref name=toi>{{cite news | url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/off-the-field/Milkha-Singh-passes-on-the-baton/articleshow/11983895.cms | title=Milkha Singh passes on the baton | work=[[The Times of India]] | date=22 February 2012 | access-date=22 February 2012}}</ref> He studied at [[Air Force Bal Bharati School]] in Delhi.

== Personal life and thoughts ==
In 1992, Rakeysh married P.S. Bharathi.<ref>{{cite web|title=Biography for Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra|url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1018493/bio?ref_=nm_ov_bio_sm|publisher=IMDb - Internet movie database|access-date=11 November 2013}}</ref> The couple have a daughter, Bhairavi, and a son named Vedant.<ref name=ibn>{{cite news | url=http://ibnlive.in.com/news/being-rakeysh-mehra-inspiring-youth/12248-8-2.html | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131204235232/http://ibnlive.in.com/news/being-rakeysh-mehra-inspiring-youth/12248-8-2.html | url-status=dead | archive-date=4 December 2013 | title=Being Rakeysh Mehra: Inspiring youth | work=[[IBN Live]] | date=8 August 2006 | access-date=23 February 2012 | author=SenGupta, Anuradha}}</ref>

Mehra criticised the vote-bank politics behind the introduction of the Mandal Commission by VP Singh, and said it inspired him to pen the script of ''Rang De Basanti''.<ref name=ibn/>

Mehra has criticised India's education system as being too marks-driven, without any emphasis on actual achievement. Ridiculing the system, he said: "We'd started work on "96.7", till I realised it had become redundant, and I should work on a subject called 100%. It was about the education system. Perhaps I'll make it once I understand the whole system... perhaps my views are very lopsided right now. But the seeds have been sown,". He further added: "Imagine if Shakespeare goes to DU (Delhi University) and he's told, 'We can't take you based on stories you've written as your marksheet isn't that cool.' Or if a Leonardo, or Rabindranath Tagore goes there, and writes something called "[[Gitanjali]]" and they tell him, 'Mr Tagore, it's nice to write things such as 'Where the head is held high', but where is your marksheet?"<ref>{{cite news | url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-11-22/news-interviews/30428760_1_education-system-marksheet-delhi-university | archive-url=https://archive.today/20120708074958/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-11-22/news-interviews/30428760_1_education-system-marksheet-delhi-university | url-status=dead | archive-date=8 July 2012 | title=Studying is now like a race: Rakeysh Mehra | work=[[The Times of India]] | date=22 November 2011 | access-date=23 February 2012 | author=Sharma, Garima}}</ref>

== Career ==
=== Ad films ===
Mehra started off by selling vacuum cleaners for [[Eureka Forbes]].<ref name=ibn/> In 1986, he established Flicks Motion Picture Company Private Limited, starting his career as an advertisement film maker. He directed scores of [[television commercials]] for [[India|Indian]] and international clients, including [[Coca-Cola|Coke]], [[Pepsi]], [[Toyota]], [[American Express]] and [[BPL Group|BPL]]. He has also directed music videos such as ''Aby Baby'' starring [[Amitabh Bachchan]].

=== Cinema ===
Mehra then gradually transited from being an ad-film maker to a feature film maker.<ref name=ibn/> In June 2001, his company released its first full-length feature film titled ''[[Aks (2001 film)|Aks]]'', starring [[Amitabh Bachchan]]. Directed by Mehra, ''Aks'' was critically acclaimed for Bachchan's performance, but did not do well at the box office.

Mehra's second film, which he produced and directed, was ''[[Rang De Basanti]].'' Released in 2006, it starred [[Aamir Khan]] and [[Soha Ali Khan]]. Mehra received much acclaim for the film, winning award for Best Director at the 2006 [[Filmfare Award]] and [[National Film Award (India)|National Film Award]] as well as a [[British Academy Film Awards|BAFTA Award]] nomination for [[BAFTA Award for Best Foreign Film|Best Foreign Language Film]]. The film was also officially chosen as India's entry to the [[Academy Award|Oscars]].<ref>{{cite news | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/5380456.stm | title=Rang De Basanti chosen for Oscars | publisher=[[BBC]] | date=26 September 2006 | access-date=23 February 2012}}</ref>

Mehra's third release, again produced and directed by him, was ''[[Delhi-6]]'' (2009), starring [[Abhishek Bachchan]], [[Sonam Kapoor]], [[Om Puri]], [[Waheeda Rehman]], and [[Atul Kulkarni (actor born 1965)|Atul Kulkarni]]. The film got lukewarm critical response and its performance at the box office was also very lukewarm.

Mehra then produced (but did not direct) the film ''[[Teen They Bhai]]'' (2011).<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.glamsham.com/movies/scoops/11/feb/03-no-more-big-budgets-for-rakesh-mehra-021105.asp | title=No more big budgets for Rakeysh Mehra | publisher=Glamsham.com | date=3 February 2011 | access-date=23 February 2012 | author=Amin, Ruhail}}</ref> Directed by debutant Mrighdeep Lamba, it was a story about three brothers who keep fighting amongst themselves. The film neither won any critical acclaim nor did well at the box-office, and was an all-round disaster.<ref name=ren>{{cite news | url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/Entertainment/Bollywood/Sonam-is-a-special-girl-Rakeysh-Mehra/Article1-750342.aspx | archive-url=https://archive.today/20130125053707/http://www.hindustantimes.com/Entertainment/Bollywood/Sonam-is-a-special-girl-Rakeysh-Mehra/Article1-750342.aspx | url-status=dead | archive-date=25 January 2013 | title=Sonam is a special girl: Rakeysh Mehra | work=[[Hindustan Times]] | agency=26 September 2011 | access-date=23 February 2012 | author=Babbar, Sonakshi }}</ref>

Mehra's next directorial venture was the biopic ''[[Bhaag Milkha Bhaag]]'' (2013) starring [[Farhan Akhtar]] as [[Milkha Singh]], the legendary Indian sprinter. The film, which was produced by a consortium of several producers, was a major commercial and critical success, the second of Mehra's career.

Mehra's latest film is ''[[Mirzya (film)|Mirzya]]'' (2016), a contemporary retelling of the tragic love story of [[Mirza Sahiban|Mirza & Sahiba]]. Set in Rajasthan, the film marked the debut of two newcomers,<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.ibnlive.com/news/india/rakeysh-omprakash-mehra-gave-ample-time-to-harshvardhan-saiyami-kher-to-grasp-their-characters-in-mirza-sahibaan-686423.html | title=Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra: Gave ample time to Harshvardhan, Saiyami Kher to grasp their characters in 'Mirza Sahibaan' | work=[[IBN Live]] | date=8 May 2014 | access-date=28 December 2015}}</ref> namely [[Harshvardhan Kapoor]] (son of actor [[Anil Kapoor]]) as Mirzya, and [[Saiyami Kher]], granddaughter of veteran actress [[Usha Kiran]], as Sahiba. [[Gulzar]] emerged from a long hiatus to write the screenplay of the film,<ref>{{cite web | title = I just tell stories and tell them to the best of my ability: Rakeysh Mehra | url = http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/bollywood/news/I-just-tell-stories-and-tell-them-to-the-best-of-my-ability-Rakeysh-Mehra/articleshow/40309007.cms |date=Aug 16, 2014| access-date = 2014-08-16 | work = The Times of India}}</ref> and [[Shankar–Ehsaan–Loy]] were entrusted with the music direction.<ref name="mumbaimirror.com">{{cite web | title = Now, I'm experimenting with song and dance|work=Mumbai Mirror | url = http://www.mumbaimirror.com/entertainment/bollywood/Now-Im-experimenting-with-song-and-dance/articleshow/28262422.cms |date= Jan 2, 2014| access-date = 2014-08-16 }}</ref> Released on 7 October 2016, ''Mirzya'' proved to be an unmitigated disaster at the box office. Made on a budget of Rs.35 crore (350 million), its total collections over a two-week period amounted to less than Rs.10 crore (100 million). The film, which had been in the planning since at least 2009,<ref>{{cite news | url=http://ibnlive.in.com/news/bolly-buzz-rakeysh-mehra-goes-from-delhi-6-to-punjab/94290-8.html | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090607080638/http://ibnlive.in.com/news/bolly-buzz-rakeysh-mehra-goes-from-delhi-6-to-punjab/94290-8.html | url-status=dead | archive-date=7 June 2009 | title=Rakeysh Mehra goes from Delhi 6 to Punjab | work=[[IBN Live]] | date=6 June 2009 | access-date=22 February 2012}}</ref> and was made over a three-year period, ran for only one week in most theatres, losing nearly all its screens at the end of that period.

Mere Pyare Prime Minister is the other film which has been directed by Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra himself and it is written by Manoj Mairta. It is about an 8 year old boy wanting to build a toilet for his mother.

=== Tentative projects ===
Mehra was associated with the pre-production phase of several other films, including:
# ''Bhairavi,'' about a family deeply seeped in the world of classical music. Mehra has indicated the wish to cast [[Amitabh Bachchan]], [[Jaya Bachchan]], and [[Abhishek Bachchan]] (real-life father, mother and son) in the principal roles.
# ''Raja and the legend of the flute'' (earlier tentatively titled ''Paanch Kaurav''), a mythical opus on the lines of [[Raiders of the Lost Ark]] and [[The Lord of the Rings]], with an estimated budget of Rs. 700 million.<ref name=ren/><ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20090124130257/http://sify.com/movies/bollywood/fullstory.php?id=14560374 Rakeysh Mehra's secret plans with three Bachchans]. Sify.com (14 November 2007). Retrieved 12 September 2013.</ref>
# Mehra has also commissioned author-screenwriter [[Ashok Banker]] to script an original adventure [[Thriller (genre)|thriller]] tentatively titled ''Raja.'' The script draws from ancient Indian mythology and contemporary adventure thrillers and revolves around the search for the lost city of [[Dvārakā|Dwarka]]. In April 2014, Banker confirmed his working on the script based on a story by Mehra himself.

== Filmography ==

{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Year
!Film
!Director
!Producer
!Writer
!Notes
|-
| style="text-align:center;"|2001
|''[[Aks (2001 film)|Aks]]''
|{{yes}}
|
|{{yes}}
|
|-
| style="text-align:center;"|2006
|''[[Rang De Basanti]]''
|{{yes}}
|{{yes}}
|{{yes}}
| [[National Film Award for Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment]]<ref name="61staward">{{cite web|title=61st National Film Awards|url=http://www.dff.nic.in/List%20of%20Awards.pdf|publisher=[[Directorate of Film Festivals]]|date=16 April 2014|access-date=18 April 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140416181218/http://www.dff.nic.in/List%20of%20Awards.pdf|archive-date=16 April 2014|df=dmy-all}}</ref> [[Filmfare Award for Best Film]]<ref name="http://movies.ndtv.com">{{cite web|title= List of winners of 59th Filmfare Awards|url= http://movies.ndtv.com/bollywood/filmfare-awards-2014-list-of-winners-475177|work= 24 January 2014|publisher= movies.ndtv.com/|access-date= 24 January 2014|archive-date= 25 January 2014|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140125010917/http://movies.ndtv.com/bollywood/filmfare-awards-2014-list-of-winners-475177|url-status= dead}}</ref> [[Filmfare Award for Best Director]] [[GIFA Best Director Award]] [[GIFA Best Screenplay Award]] [[Screen Award for Best Director]]<ref name="http://www.awardsandshows.com">{{cite web|title= List of winners of Screen Awards 2007|url= http://www.awardsandshows.com/features/star-screen-awards-2007-134.html|work= 24 January 2014|publisher=www.awardsandshows.com/ |access-date= 24 January 2014}}</ref> [[Screen Award for Best Screenplay]] [[Zee Cine Award for Best Film]] [[Zee Cine Award for Best Director]] Nominated—[[BAFTA Award for Best Film Not in the English Language]] [[List of submissions to the 79th Academy Awards for Best Foreign Language Film|India's official entry to the 79th Academy Awards for Best Foreign Language Film]]
|-
| style="text-align:center;"|2009
|''[[Delhi-6]]''
|{{yes}}
|{{yes}}
|{{yes}}
| [[Nargis Dutt Award for Best Feature Film on National Integration]]
|-
| style="text-align:center;"|2011
|''[[Teen They Bhai]]''
|
|{{yes}}
|
|
|-
| style="text-align:center;"|2013
|''[[Bhaag Milkha Bhaag]]''
|{{yes}}
|{{yes}}
|
| [[National Film Award for Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment]] Star Guild Awards for Best Director [[Filmfare Award for Best Film]] [[Filmfare Best Director Award|Filmfare Award for Best Director]] [[Zee Cine Award for Best Director]] [[IIFA Award for Best Director]]
|-
| style="text-align:center;"|2016
| ''[[Mirzya (film)|Mirzya]]''
|{{yes}}
|{{yes}}
|
|
|-
| style="text-align:center;"|2018
| ''[[Fanney Khan]]''
|
|{{yes}}
|
|
|-
| style="text-align:center;"|2019
|''[[Mere Pyare Prime Minister]]''
|{{yes}}
|{{yes}}
|
|
|-
| style="text-align:center;"|2021
|''[[Toofaan]]''
|{{yes}}
|{{yes}}
|
|[[Amazon Prime Video]] Release
|}

===Onscreen appearances===
*''[[Dear Maya]]'' as Ved (special appearance)
*''[[Toofaan]]'' as IBF Secretary (special appearance)

== References ==
{{reflist|colwidth=30em}}

== External links ==
{{commons category}}
* {{IMDb name|1018493}}

{{Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra}}
{{Navboxes
|title = Awards for Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra
|list =
{{FilmfareAwardBestDirector}}
{{ScreenAwardBestDirector}}
}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mehra, Rakeysh Omprakash}}
[[Category:1963 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Film directors from Delhi]]
[[Category:Hindi-language film directors]]
[[Category:Punjabi people]]
[[Category:Filmfare Awards winners]]
[[Category:Film producers from Delhi]]
[[Category:Indian male screenwriters]]
[[Category:Indian atheists]]
[[Category:21st-century Indian film directors]]
[[Category:Producers who won the Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment National Film Award]]
[[Category:Directors who won the Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment National Film Award]]
[[Category:Producers who won the Best Film on National Integration National Film Award]]
[[Category:Directors who won the Best Film on National Integration National Film Award]]

Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra - Revision history

14.192.220.38: /* Onscreen appearances */