Abhishek Sinha to Aasmaan Bhardwaj: Debutant directors of 2023
The year 2023 witnessed many young filmmakers making their debut in the entertainment industry, especially Bollywood. From interesting tales to engaging narratives, these debutant directors presented us with watch-worthy content. As the year wraps up, let us take a look at some of the many first-time directors who managed to make a mark, irrespective of their project's success, with their debuts in 2023.
Abhishek Sinha
Abhishek Sinha made his directorial debut with Tumse Na Ho Payega, a comedy-drama film that premiered directly on Disney+ Hotstar in September. Featuring Ishwak Singh in the lead, the film mostly received positive reviews from audiences and critics alike. Tumse Na Ho Payega follows the story of Gaurav Shukla (Singh) who embarks on an entrepreneurial journey after he is kicked out of his office.
Akshat Ajay Sharma
The Haddi director received praise for his unconventional filmmaking concepts. With Nawazuddin Siddiqui in the lead, the film was directly released on streaming platform ZEE5, but opened to mixed reviews. Sharma previously worked as an assistant director on films such as Mukkabaaz. He was also an associate editor and a creative assistant on acclaimed titles like Manmarziyan and Lust Stories.
Shantanu Bagchi
Featuring Sidharth Malhotra and Rashmika Mandanna in the lead roles, Mission Majnu marked the directorial debut of Shantanu Bagchi. The young filmmaker received acclaim for helming the espionage thriller inspired by the 1971 Indo-Pakistan War. Malhotra essayed the role of an R&AW agent, while actors like Kumud Mishra, Parmeet Sethi, and Sharib Hashmi, among others, were seen in supporting roles.
Sarvesh Mewara
Kangana Ranaut essayed the role of an Indian Air Force pilot in Tejas, helmed by debutant director Sarvesh Mewara. The film mostly received negative reviews and went on to become one of the lowest-earning movies of Ranaut's career. Before his maiden feature film, Mewara directed short films and was expected to direct Anurag Kashyap's Gulab Jamun, starring Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan.
Aasmaan Bhardwaj
Critically acclaimed filmmaker Vishal Bhardwaj's son, Aasmaan Bhardwaj, also made his debut as a director in 2023. His film, titled Kuttey, was released in the theaters in January and later arrived on Netflix. It featured an ensemble cast comprising Tabu, Konkona Sen Sharma, Arjun Kapoor, Shardul Bhardwaj, Radhika Madan, and Mishra. Unfortunately, the movie received mixed reviews and emerged as a box-office flop.
