Those who made their fortunes in front of the camera often want to try their hand at direction at some point. Then there are those who have made a name for themselves behind the camera but have found the world of acting quite enticing. This issue, we look at some of the finest directors who have transitioned into acting
Farhan Akhtar chose to enter Bollywood as a director; though, given his looks and personality, he could have easily done so as an actor. His first film as director, Dil Chahta Hai, was a huge success, and cemented him as one of the top directors of the era. In 2008, he decided to venture into acting, and his first film as actor, Rock On, was a huge success. His career-best performance as an actor, though, came from his turn as Milkha Singh in Bhaag Milkha Bhaag, where he won critical and commercial success.
Tigmanshu Dhulia may be an exceptional director, having proved his directorial mettle with films like Haasil, Saheb Biwi Aur Gangster and Paan Singh Tomar, but it is his terrific performance as Ramadhir Singh in Gangs of Wasseypur which has immortalised him in cinematic history, making him the subject of countless memes on social media. He followed this campy performance up with a completely different and grounded in the Hansal Mehta-directed Shahid.
Although Karan Johar is known as one of the finest directors in commercial Bollywood cinema, few know this fun tidbit. Much before he started calling the shots for his debut directorial movie Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Karan johar made his big screen appearance in Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge. But that was just a cameo, something that he has done in many films. In Bombay Velvet, Johar appears in a full-fledged part, on the insistence of Anurag Kashyap, another director who has seamlessly transitioned into acting. As the chief baddie, Karan looks dapper and has turned in a performance which won him accolades, even though the movie itself was a disaster at the box office.
Anurag Kashyap is often credited as a director for resurrecting the noir genre in Indian cinema. With films such as Black Friday and Ugly, Anurag has earned the respect of everyone as a filmmaker. A littleknown fact is that Anurag Kashyap and Tigmanshu Dhulia are fellow-members in a mutual admiration society. After Anurag roped in Tigmanshu for Gangs of Wasseypur, the latter brought Anurag on board for Shagird. His performance went largely unnoticed since the film flopped. Anurag then went on to act in I Am, Bhoothnath Returns and Happy New Year. He later played the chief antagonist in Sonakshi Sinha’s Akira.
When the director of Main Hoon Naa and Om Shanti Om decided to try her hand at acting in Shirin Farhad Ki Toh Nikal Padi, it wasn’t very surprising. Farah Khan is expressive and vocal and well-suited to being in front of the camera. She got the chance in the Sanjay Leela Bhansali film Shirin Farhad Ki Toh Nikal Padi, directed by his sister Bela Saigal, where Farah played a part eminently suited to her personality. She plays the leading lady Shirin, along with veteran actor Boman Irani, who plays Farhad, in a romantic comedy of a middle-aged Parsi couple who meet and fall in love.
by Neeraj Varty
