Nagesh Kukunoor

Nagesh Kukunoor, born back in '67 in Hyderabad, isn’t exactly your run-of-the-mill filmmaker. The guy’s got this knack for storytelling that actually hits you right in the feels, and honestly, Bollywood could use more of that. You look at his work—Dhanak, Iqbal, 3 Deewarein—and there’s this pattern: real people, tough situations, a dash of hope, and he always pulls it off without drowning everything in melodrama. Iqbal, for example, is this underdog story about a deaf and mute boy who dreams of playing cricket for India. It’s got grit, heart, and let’s be real, probably made half the country cry. Then there’s Dhanak—a road film, but not the candy-colored nonsense you’d expect. Instead, two kids wander across Rajasthan searching for a miracle, and somehow it doesn’t feel fake or forced. Kukunoor doesn’t go for easy answers or cheap thrills; his movies simmer, they don’t explode. What’s wild is he started off as an engineer in the US before jumping into films headfirst, so he’s not chained to Bollywood’s usual formula. His movies? They’re more like indie gems that accidentally found their way into the mainstream. He writes and directs, which means the voice you hear is his—quirky, stubborn, and super invested in his characters. If you’re looking for films that actually mean something and aren’t just loud, pointless spectacles, Nagesh Kukunoor’s work is the good stuff.