David Dhawan

Forty-six feature films define the directorial career of Rajinder Dhawan, a filmmaker known professionally as David Dhawan. Originally an aspiring actor who transitioned to editing after studying at the Film and Television Institute of India, he eventually became a prolific architect of Hindi commercial comedies, earning multiple industry recognitions for his work throughout the 1990s and 2000s.

Early Development and Training

Born on 16 August 1951 in Agartala, Tripura, he grew up in a Punjabi family before moving to Kanpur. After completing his schooling at Christ Church College and BNSD Inter College, he enrolled at the Film and Television Institute of India. While there, he adopted the name David. Although he initially focused on acting alongside peers like Satish Shah and Suresh Oberoi, he concluded that editing was a more suitable profession. His interest in filmmaking was significantly influenced by the works of Hrishikesh Mukherjee, Manmohan Desai, and the Bengali film Meghe Dhaka Tara by Ritwik Ghatak. He eventually graduated from the institute with a gold medal.

THE FREE TEST

How high is yours?

Twenty questions, eight minutes on the clock, and a percentile measured against everyone who has taken it. No sign-up.

Take the IQ test →

Transition to Directing

Dhawan began his professional career as an editor for the 1984 film Saaransh. He soon moved into the director's chair, where he developed a signature style focused on comedy. His first collaboration with actor Govinda occurred on the 1989 film Taaqatwar. Over the following decades, this professional partnership resulted in 18 films, including Swarg, Shola Aur Shabnam, and Raja Babu. The 1993 thriller Aankhen served as a major turning point, marking a significant commercial success that provided him with his first nomination for a Filmfare Award for Best Director.

Commercial Milestones

The late 1990s represented a period of sustained output for the director, with titles like Hero No. 1, Bade Miyan Chote Miyan, and Haseena Maan Jaayegi cementing his reputation in the industry. The 1999 production Biwi No.1 earned him his second nomination for a Filmfare Award for Best Director. His later work includes Partner, a 2007 film featuring Salman Khan and Govinda, which recorded a domestic opening week gross of Rs. 300 Million. Beyond his directorial work, Dhawan served as a judge on television programs including Nach Baliye 3 in 2008 and Hans Baliye.