Ashutosh Gowariker is company director and co-founder of Ashutosh Gowariker Productions.
Ashutosh Gowariker was born in 1964 in Mumbai, India. He graduated from Mithibai College with BSc. in Chemistry. While in college, he was an active member of the theatre arts society which led him down a path of self-discovery. On graduating, he pursued a career in Acting and appeared in several Commercials, TV Serials and Movies, his last one being the National Award-winning film Ventilator (2016).
After almost a decade in front of the camera, the diverse exposure whetted his appetite to make his directorial debut with a film in the Mystery genre - Pehla Nasha (First Love) in 1993, which helped Ashutosh find firm ground as a director. In 1995, he followed up with a Thriller - Baazi (The Game) starring Aamir Khan as a die-hard police officer. The film enjoyed average success but led Ashutosh on a journey in search of - a better screenplay.
The result was Lagaan (Tax), which was released in 2001 and not only did it win the Audience Award at the Locarno International Film Festival but also got nominated for an Academy Award in the Best Foreign Film category.
With his fourth feature film, Swades (Our Country), he launched his own production house - Ashutosh Gowariker Productions (AGPPL). Starring Shah Rukh Khan, the film released worldwide in 2004 to critical acclaim and attained success at the international box office.
Four years later, AGPPL produced the 16th century Epic Romance, Jodhaa Akbar, which was an instant success, winning the Best Foreign Film in Sao Paulo, Brazil and Best Film and Best Actor in Kazan, Russia.
In 2009, he made a Romantic Comedy, What’s Your Raashee? (What’s Your Sun Sign?) adapted from the novel Kimball Ravenswood by Madhu Rye, starring Priyanka Chopra in 12 characters.
He quickly followed it up with Khelein Hum Jee Jaan Sey, a Period Thriller, about teenagers rebelling against the British Empire, based on the book ‘DO and DIE: The Chittagong Uprising by Manini Chatterjee.
In 2014, he wrote and produced a hundred-episode show, Everest, about a girl fulfilling her father’s unrealized dream of summiting Mt. Everest.
In 2016, he made Mohenjo Daro, about the Indus Valley Civilization, set in 2016 BC. It starred Hrithik Roshan and Kabir Bedi and was screened as the Closing Film at the Locarno International Film Festival.
His last film is the Epic Battle, Panipat, based on the events that led up to the Third Battle of Panipat in 1761, which released on December 6th, 2019.
In 2020, AGPPL produced the Sports Drama Toolsidas Junior, directed by Mridul, which won two National Awards - Best Hindi Film and Special Mention Child Actor.
AGPPL, through its films has always triggered a discussion on highly relevant topics like Nationalism, Patriotism, Women’s Empowerment, Girl Child, Religious Tolerance and several social issues that India is battling with today. While Historical Epics are his forte, his contemporary stories are told with similar brushstrokes.
Ashutosh is a Member of the Academy (AMPAS), Director’s Branch, since 2002.