Excel Entertainment is an India

India

India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...

n film studio based in Mumbai

Mumbai

Mumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...

. It was created by Farhan Akhtar

Farhan Akhtar

Farhan Akhtar is an Indian filmmaker, script writer, actor, playback singer, lyricist, film producer in Hindi cinema and a television host.His directorial debut Dil Chahta Hai won a National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Hindi...

, and Ritesh Sidhwani

Ritesh Sidhwani

Ritesh Sidhwani is a Bollywood film producer, who founded a film production house under the banner of Excel Entertainment Pvt. Ltd...

 in 1999. The two have gone on to create several films under Excel's banner.

Farhan Akhtar

Faran Akhtar is the son of very well known scripwriter, poet and lyricist, Javed Akhtar

Javed Akhtar

Javed Akhtar is a poet, lyricist and scriptwriter from India. Some of his most successful work was done in the late 1970s and 1980s with Salim Khan as half of the script-writing duo credited as Salim-Javed...

 and renowned screenplay writer, Honey Irani

Honey Irani

-Personal life and background:Honey Irani was born into a Zoroastrian family on January 17, 1950. She was married to Javed Akhtar. Although the marriage ended in divorce, it produced two children, son Farhan Akhtar and daughter Zoya Akhtar. Both her children are critically acclaimed Indian...

. He is also the grandson of Urdu poet, Jan Nisar Akhtar

Jan Nisar Akhtar

Jan Nisar Akhtar was an important 20th century Indian poet of Urdu ghazals and nazms, and a part of the Progressive Writers' Movement, who was also a lyricist for Bollywood....

. His stepmother is actress Shabana Azmi

Shabana Azmi

Shabana Azmi is an Indian actress of film, television and theatre. An alumna of the Film and Television Institute of India of Pune, she made her film debut in 1974 and soon became one of the leading actresses of parallel cinema, an Indian New Wave movement known for its serious content and...

Ritesh Sidhwani

At first he was a key role in his family's business, Marlex

Marlex

Marlex is a trademarked name for crystalline polypropylene and high-density polyethylene . These plastics were invented by J. Paul Hogan and Robert Banks, two research chemists at the Phillips Petroleum company....

, India's largest home appliance company.

Released

• Dil Chahta Hai
  Dil Chahta Hai
  Dil Chahta Hai is a 2001 Indian film starring Aamir Khan, Saif Ali Khan, Akshaye Khanna, Preity Zinta, Sonali Kulkarni, and Dimple Kapadia...
  
   (2001)
  • IIFA Award winner for best choreography (Farah Khan
    Farah Khan
    Farah Khan is an Indian film director and choreographer. She is best known for her choreographical work in numerous Bollywood films. Khan has choreographed dance routines for more than a hundred songs in over 80 Hindi films. Khan has since become a noted Hindi film director as well...
    
    ), and best song recording (Vijay Benegal).
  • Filmfare Award winner for best choreography (Farah Khan
    Farah Khan
    Farah Khan is an Indian film director and choreographer. She is best known for her choreographical work in numerous Bollywood films. Khan has choreographed dance routines for more than a hundred songs in over 80 Hindi films. Khan has since become a noted Hindi film director as well...
    
    ), best comedian (Saif Ali Khan
    Saif Ali Khan
    Saif Ali Khan is an Indian actor known for his work in Bollywood films. He is the son of the late former Nawab of Pataudi, Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi, and actress Sharmila Tagore. He has two sisters: Saba Ali Khan and actress Soha Ali Khan....
    
    ), best editing (A. Sreekar Prasad
    A. Sreekar Prasad
    Akkineni Sreekar Prasad better known as Sreekar Prasad is an National Award winning Indian film editor.-Brief lifesketch:He was born to editor A. Sanjivi. Veteran L. V. Prasad was his maternal uncle. He was a graduate in Literature and started his film editing career in Telugu films...
    
    ), best film (critics) (Farhan Akhtar
    Farhan Akhtar
    Farhan Akhtar is an Indian filmmaker, script writer, actor, playback singer, lyricist, film producer in Hindi cinema and a television host.His directorial debut Dil Chahta Hai won a National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Hindi...
    
    ), best screenplay (Farhan Akhtar
    Farhan Akhtar
    Farhan Akhtar is an Indian filmmaker, script writer, actor, playback singer, lyricist, film producer in Hindi cinema and a television host.His directorial debut Dil Chahta Hai won a National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Hindi...
    
    ), and best supporting actor (Akshaye Khanna
    Akshaye Khanna
    Akshaye Khanna is a critically acclaimed Indian film actor who works in Hindi cinema. Known for his impeccable acting talent and flawless diction, Khanna has worked with the best names in Indian cinema.- Background :...
    
    ).
  • National Film Awards
    National Film Awards
    The National Film Awards is the most prominent film award ceremony in India. Established in 1954, it is administered, along with the International Film Festival of India and the Indian Panorama, by the Indian government's Directorate of Film Festivals since 1973.Every year, a national panel...
    
     winner for best playback singer (Udit Narayan
    Udit Narayan
    -Career:King of melody, Udit Narayan Jha was born on 1 December, 1955 in a village called Bhardaha in the Saptari district , Nepal. His father was Hare Krishna Jha and his mother was Bhuwaneshwari Devi.Narayan studied at P.B...
    
    ), and best regional film (Ritesh Sidhwani
    Ritesh Sidhwani
    Ritesh Sidhwani is a Bollywood film producer, who founded a film production house under the banner of Excel Entertainment Pvt. Ltd...
    
    , Farhan Akhtar
    Farhan Akhtar
    Farhan Akhtar is an Indian filmmaker, script writer, actor, playback singer, lyricist, film producer in Hindi cinema and a television host.His directorial debut Dil Chahta Hai won a National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Hindi...
    
    )
  • Screen Weekly Awards winner for best choreography (Farah Khan
    Farah Khan
    Farah Khan is an Indian film director and choreographer. She is best known for her choreographical work in numerous Bollywood films. Khan has choreographed dance routines for more than a hundred songs in over 80 Hindi films. Khan has since become a noted Hindi film director as well...
    
    ), best dialogue (Farhan Akhtar
    Farhan Akhtar
    Farhan Akhtar is an Indian filmmaker, script writer, actor, playback singer, lyricist, film producer in Hindi cinema and a television host.His directorial debut Dil Chahta Hai won a National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Hindi...
    
    ), best lyrics (Javed Akhtar
    Javed Akhtar
    Javed Akhtar is a poet, lyricist and scriptwriter from India. Some of his most successful work was done in the late 1970s and 1980s with Salim Khan as half of the script-writing duo credited as Salim-Javed...
    
    ), best music director (Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy
    Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy
    Shankar–Ehsaan–Loy are an Indian musical trio consisting of Shankar Mahadevan, Ehsaan Noorani and Loy Mendonsa. Record producers, musicians and multi-instrumentalists, they have composed music for over fifty soundtrack across four languages...
    
    ), best special effects (Beeps), and best supporting actor (Saif Ali Khan
    Saif Ali Khan
    Saif Ali Khan is an Indian actor known for his work in Bollywood films. He is the son of the late former Nawab of Pataudi, Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi, and actress Sharmila Tagore. He has two sisters: Saba Ali Khan and actress Soha Ali Khan....
    
    )
  • Zee Cine Awards
    Zee Cine Awards
    The Zee Cine Awards or "ZCA" for short is an awards ceremony for the Hindi film industry. It was first held in 1998 in Mumbai. Since then, it has gained substantial popularity as a notable awards ceremony to the Indian population as well as to the viewers of Zee Network.In 2004, the ZCA went...
    
     winner for best debuit director (Farhan Akhtar
    Farhan Akhtar
    Farhan Akhtar is an Indian filmmaker, script writer, actor, playback singer, lyricist, film producer in Hindi cinema and a television host.His directorial debut Dil Chahta Hai won a National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Hindi...
    
    ), and best supporting actor (Saif Ali Khan
    Saif Ali Khan
    Saif Ali Khan is an Indian actor known for his work in Bollywood films. He is the son of the late former Nawab of Pataudi, Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi, and actress Sharmila Tagore. He has two sisters: Saba Ali Khan and actress Soha Ali Khan....
    
    ).

• Lakshya
  Lakshya (film)
  Lakshya is a 2004 Bollywood film directed by Farhan Akhtar, with stars Hrithik Roshan, Preity Zinta, Amitabh Bachchan, Om Puri and Boman Irani. Roshan plays the role of Lieutenant Karan Shergill, who leads his team to victory over the Pakistani troops...
  
   (2004)
  • Filmfare Award winner for best choreography (Prabhu Deva), and best cinematographer (Christopher Popp)
  • Screen Weekly Awards winner for best choreography (Prabhu Deva)

• Don
  Don - The Chase Begins Again
  Don: The Chase Begins Again is a 2006 Indian action film directed by Farhan Akhtar. It is a remake of the 1978 film Don. The film is produced by Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani under their home banner Excel Entertainment. The film stars Shahrukh Khan, Priyanka Chopra, Arjun Rampal, Ishaa...
  
   (2006)
• Honeymoon Travels Pvt. Ltd.
  Honeymoon Travels Pvt. Ltd.
  Honeymoon Travels Pvt. Ltd. is a Bollywood movie, released on 23 February 2007. It is produced by Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani through Excel Entertainment and has marked the debut of Reema Kagti as a director. The movie has six different part in it...
  
   (2006)
• Positive
  Positive (film)
  Positive is a 2007, Hindi short film directed by Farhan Akhtar, and produced by Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidwani under their Excel Entertainment Pvt. Ltd. banner...
  
   (2007)
• Rock On!!  (2008)
• Luck by Chance
  Luck by Chance
  Luck By Chance is a 2009 Indian drama film written and directed by Zoya Akhtar. Produced by Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani, the film stars Farhan Akhtar and Konkana Sen Sharma in the lead roles...
  
   (2009)
• Karthik Calling Karthik (2010)
• Game (2011)
• Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara
  Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara
  Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara is a 2011 Bollywood coming-of-age film, directed by Zoya Akhtar and produced by Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani of Excel Entertainment. The film features an ensemble cast including Hrithik Roshan as Arjun, Abhay Deol as Kabir and Farhan Akhtar as Imraan...
  
   (2011)

In production

• "Reema Kagti's Untitled Project"

Cast: Aamir Khan

Aamir Khan

Aamir Hussain Khan is an Indian film actor, director and producer who has established himself as one of the leading actors of Hindi cinema....

, Kareena Kapoor

Kareena Kapoor

Kareena Kapoor , often informally referred to as Bebo, is an Indian actress who appears in Bollywood films. During her career, Kapoor has received six Filmfare Awards, among nine nominations, and has been noted for her performances in a range of film genres; these include her work from contemporary...

, Rani Mukerjee

Direction: Reema Kagti

Reema Kagti

Reema Kagti is an Indian film director. She made her debut as director with critically acclaimed Honeymoon Travels Pvt. Ltd.-Personal life:Reema did her Bachelor of Arts in English Literature from Sophia College, Mumbai. She also pursued a post graduates diploma in Social Communications Media at...

Production: Farhan Akhtar

Farhan Akhtar

Farhan Akhtar is an Indian filmmaker, script writer, actor, playback singer, lyricist, film producer in Hindi cinema and a television host.His directorial debut Dil Chahta Hai won a National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Hindi...

 & Ritesh Sidhwani

Ritesh Sidhwani

Ritesh Sidhwani is a Bollywood film producer, who founded a film production house under the banner of Excel Entertainment Pvt. Ltd...

Story: Zoya Akhtar

Zoya Akhtar

Zoya Akhtar is a contemporary Indian film director. She made her debut as director with critically acclaimed Luck By Chance.-Personal life:Zoya Akhtar was born on January 9, 1974 in Bombay...

, Reema Kagti

Executive Producer: Vikesh Bhutani

Music: Ram Sampath

Ram Sampath

Ram Sampath is a composer, producer and musician, working mainly in the Mumbai advertising circuit. He has also helped promote local bands and talent.-Songs and Background Score:*Rock The Shaadi *Delhi Belly *Luv Ka The End...

• Don 2

Cast: Shahrukh Khan

Shahrukh Khan

Shahrukh Khan , often credited as Shah Rukh Khan, is an Indian film actor, as well as a film producer and television host. Often referred to as "the King of Bollywood", Khan has acted in over 70 Hindi films....

, Priyanka Chopra

Priyanka Chopra

Priyanka Chopra is an Indian actress and former Miss World. Before starting her acting career, she worked as a model and gained fame after winning the Miss World title in 2000. She is often referred to by the nickname "Piggy Chops", which was given to her by co-stars on the set of the film...

, Lara Dutta

Lara Dutta

Lara Dutta Bhupathi is an Indian actress, UNFPA Goodwill Ambassador, and former Miss Universe.-Early life:Dutta was born in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh to a Punjabi father and an Anglo-Indian mother. Her father is Wing Commander L.K. Dutta and her mother is Jennifer Dutta...

, Kunal Kapoor

Kunal Kapoor

Kunal Kapoor is an Indian actor who appears in Hindi cinema.-Career:Kapoor began his career as an assistant director on the Amitabh Bachchan starrer Aks. He began his acting career training under theatre legend Barry John. He continued his theatre career with Motley, a theater group run by...

, Boman Irani

Boman Irani

Boman Irani is an Indian film and theatre actor and photographer. Irani began his acting career in theatre and moved to film in 2000 at the age of 44 with a role in Josh...

Direction: Farhan Akhtar

Farhan Akhtar

Farhan Akhtar is an Indian filmmaker, script writer, actor, playback singer, lyricist, film producer in Hindi cinema and a television host.His directorial debut Dil Chahta Hai won a National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Hindi...

Production: Farhan Akhtar & Ritesh Sidhwani

Ritesh Sidhwani

Ritesh Sidhwani is a Bollywood film producer, who founded a film production house under the banner of Excel Entertainment Pvt. Ltd...

Story: Farhan Akhtar

Music: Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy

Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy

Shankar–Ehsaan–Loy are an Indian musical trio consisting of Shankar Mahadevan, Ehsaan Noorani and Loy Mendonsa. Record producers, musicians and multi-instrumentalists, they have composed music for over fifty soundtrack across four languages...

Remakes

Don

Don - The Chase Begins Again

Don: The Chase Begins Again is a 2006 Indian action film directed by Farhan Akhtar. It is a remake of the 1978 film Don. The film is produced by Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani under their home banner Excel Entertainment. The film stars Shahrukh Khan, Priyanka Chopra, Arjun Rampal, Ishaa...

 (2006) was a remake of the 1978 movie

Don (1978 film)

Don is a 1978 Indian action film, produced by Nariman Irani and directed by Chandra Barot, with music by Kalyanji Anandji and lyrics by Anjaan. The film stars Amitabh Bachchan, Zeenat Aman, Pran, Iftekhar, Helen and Om Shivpuri, Satyen Kappu and Pinchoo Kapoor. It was the third-highest grossing...

 that starred Amitabh Bachchan

Amitabh Bachchan

Amitabh Bachchan is an Indian film actor. He first gained popularity in the early 1970s as the "angry young man" of Hindi cinema, and has since appeared in over 180 Indian films in a career spanning more than four decades...

, under the same title. The film was redone with a new twenty-first century feel while still keeping its original roots present.

Distribution

Excel has distributed several films of its own company, and for others.

• Dil Chahta Hai
  Dil Chahta Hai
  Dil Chahta Hai is a 2001 Indian film starring Aamir Khan, Saif Ali Khan, Akshaye Khanna, Preity Zinta, Sonali Kulkarni, and Dimple Kapadia...
  
   (2001) - Delhi
• Chalte Chalte (2003) - Delhi
• Lakshya
  Lakshya (film)
  Lakshya is a 2004 Bollywood film directed by Farhan Akhtar, with stars Hrithik Roshan, Preity Zinta, Amitabh Bachchan, Om Puri and Boman Irani. Roshan plays the role of Lieutenant Karan Shergill, who leads his team to victory over the Pakistani troops...
  
   (2004) - Mumbai, Delhi, and overseas (except the US)
• Black
  Black
  Black is the color of objects that do not emit or reflect light in any part of the visible spectrum; they absorb all such frequencies of light...
  
   (2005) - Delhi
• Zinda
  Zinda
  Zinda is a Hindi/Urdu word meaning "alive". It can refer to:* Zinda , the largest online magazine serving the Syriac-speaking community around the world* Zinda , a 2006 Bollywood film...
  
   (2006) - Delhi
• Don
  Don - The Chase Begins Again
  Don: The Chase Begins Again is a 2006 Indian action film directed by Farhan Akhtar. It is a remake of the 1978 film Don. The film is produced by Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani under their home banner Excel Entertainment. The film stars Shahrukh Khan, Priyanka Chopra, Arjun Rampal, Ishaa...
  
   (2006) - Mumbai, Delhi and Rajasthan
• Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna
  Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna
  Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna commonly known as KANK is a 2006 Bollywood film directed by Karan Johar and produced under the Dharma Productions banner...
  
   (2006) - Rajasthan

TV Commercials

Excel has produced a number of commercials for Slice

Slice

-Food:* A portion of bread, pizza, cake, or meat that is cut flat and thin, cf. sliced bread* Slice , a line of fruit-flavored drinks* Vanilla slice, a dessert* Mr. Slice, the mascot of Papa John's Pizza restaurant...

, and for Finolex in India.

Directors

The following directors work under the Excel Entertainment Films banner:

• Reema Kagti
  Reema Kagti
  Reema Kagti is an Indian film director. She made her debut as director with critically acclaimed Honeymoon Travels Pvt. Ltd.-Personal life:Reema did her Bachelor of Arts in English Literature from Sophia College, Mumbai. She also pursued a post graduates diploma in Social Communications Media at...
  
   -
  • Honeymoon Travels Pvt. Ltd.
    Honeymoon Travels Pvt. Ltd.
    Honeymoon Travels Pvt. Ltd. is a Bollywood movie, released on 23 February 2007. It is produced by Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani through Excel Entertainment and has marked the debut of Reema Kagti as a director. The movie has six different part in it...
    
     (2007)
  • Reema Kagti's Untitled Project (2011)
    

• Abhishek Kapoor
  Abhishek Kapoor
  Abhishek Kapoor is an Indian film actor, writer and director.He started his career as an actor in Uff!Yeh Mohabbat in 1996, opposite Twinkle Khanna, directed by Vipin Handa, and after two more films, he made his directorial début with Aryan in 2006, which despite getting him critical acclaim for...
  
   - Rock On!!(2008)
  

• Zoya Akhtar
  Zoya Akhtar
  Zoya Akhtar is a contemporary Indian film director. She made her debut as director with critically acclaimed Luck By Chance.-Personal life:Zoya Akhtar was born on January 9, 1974 in Bombay...
  
   -
  • Luck by Chance
    Luck by Chance
    Luck By Chance is a 2009 Indian drama film written and directed by Zoya Akhtar. Produced by Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani, the film stars Farhan Akhtar and Konkana Sen Sharma in the lead roles...
    
     (2009),
  • Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara
    Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara
    Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara is a 2011 Bollywood coming-of-age film, directed by Zoya Akhtar and produced by Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani of Excel Entertainment. The film features an ensemble cast including Hrithik Roshan as Arjun, Abhay Deol as Kabir and Farhan Akhtar as Imraan...
    
     (2011)
    

• Vijay Lalwani - Karthik Calling Karthik (2010)
  

• Farhan Akhtar
  Farhan Akhtar
  Farhan Akhtar is an Indian filmmaker, script writer, actor, playback singer, lyricist, film producer in Hindi cinema and a television host.His directorial debut Dil Chahta Hai won a National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Hindi...
  
   -
  • Dil Chahta Hai
    Dil Chahta Hai
    Dil Chahta Hai is a 2001 Indian film starring Aamir Khan, Saif Ali Khan, Akshaye Khanna, Preity Zinta, Sonali Kulkarni, and Dimple Kapadia...
    
     (2001)
  • Lakshya
    Lakshya
    Lakshya is a Hindi word for "target".Lakshya may refer to:* Lakshya Institute, an institute that focus on Ez Vidya pronounced as easy vidya...
    
     (2004)
  • Don: The Chase Begins Again (2006)
  • Don 2 (2011)

Music Directors

The trio of Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy

Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy

Shankar–Ehsaan–Loy are an Indian musical trio consisting of Shankar Mahadevan, Ehsaan Noorani and Loy Mendonsa. Record producers, musicians and multi-instrumentalists, they have composed music for over fifty soundtrack across four languages...

 have scored music for all the films by Excel Entertainment Films, except for Reema Kagti

Reema Kagti

Reema Kagti is an Indian film director. She made her debut as director with critically acclaimed Honeymoon Travels Pvt. Ltd.-Personal life:Reema did her Bachelor of Arts in English Literature from Sophia College, Mumbai. She also pursued a post graduates diploma in Social Communications Media at...

's films and Farhan Akhtar

Farhan Akhtar

Farhan Akhtar is an Indian filmmaker, script writer, actor, playback singer, lyricist, film producer in Hindi cinema and a television host.His directorial debut Dil Chahta Hai won a National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Hindi...

's short film Positive

Positive (film)

Positive is a 2007, Hindi short film directed by Farhan Akhtar, and produced by Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidwani under their Excel Entertainment Pvt. Ltd. banner...

. They are listed below:

• Ram Sampath
  Ram Sampath
  Ram Sampath is a composer, producer and musician, working mainly in the Mumbai advertising circuit. He has also helped promote local bands and talent.-Songs and Background Score:*Rock The Shaadi *Delhi Belly *Luv Ka The End...
  
   -
  • Positive
    Positive (film)
    Positive is a 2007, Hindi short film directed by Farhan Akhtar, and produced by Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidwani under their Excel Entertainment Pvt. Ltd. banner...
    
    
  • Reema Kagti's Untitled Project (2011)
  • Game (2011) (Background score only)
• MIDIval Punditz
  MIDIval Punditz
  MIDIval Punditz is an Indian fusion group consisting of two Delhi-based musicians, Gaurav Raina and Tapan Raj. Their style revolves mostly around changer, jungle, electronica, and North Indian classical music...
  
  
  • Don: The Chase Begins Again (2006) (Background score and single)
  • Karthik Calling Karthik (2010) (Background score and remix)
• Vishal-Shekhar
  Vishal-Shekhar
  Vishal-Shekhar are a music directing duo for Hindi films and are among the leading music directors in the industry today...
  
   - Honeymoon Travels Pvt. Ltd.
  Honeymoon Travels Pvt. Ltd.
  Honeymoon Travels Pvt. Ltd. is a Bollywood movie, released on 23 February 2007. It is produced by Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani through Excel Entertainment and has marked the debut of Reema Kagti as a director. The movie has six different part in it...
  
  (2007)

External links

• Excel Entertainment's official web site