Zoya Akhtar
Encyclopedia
Zoya Akhtar is a contemporary Indian film director. She made her debut as director with critically acclaimed Luck By Chance
.
, lyricist
and screenwriter
Javed Akhtar
, twin sister of film director, actor
, producer
, singer
, and lyricist
Farhan Akhtar
and granddaughter of Urdu poet Jan Nisar Akhtar
. Her mother is screenwriter Honey Irani
. She went to school at Maneckji Cooper and earned her Bachelors of Arts degree at Xavier's College, both in Mumbai. Later, she joined the New York University Film School to learn Film production.
Zoya was brought up atheist, as her father Javed Akhtar stated in his speech "Spirituality, Halo or Hoax".
and Finolex
. She has co-directed a music video called Price of Bullets for a rock band. She has also worked as a casting director for various films including Dil Chahta Hai
, Kamasutra: A Tale of Love and Split Wide Open
, and as an assistant director
for her brother Farhan's films, Lakshya (film)
and Dil Chahta Hai
. She then worked as an executive producer
for her longtime friend Reema Kagti
's Honeymoon Travels Pvt. Ltd.
, also produced by Excel Entertainment
.
which was well-received by critics, despite not doing well at the box office. Her second movie as a director is Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara
, a multistarrer with Hrithik Roshan
, Abhay Deol
, Farhan Akhtar
, Katrina Kaif
and Kalki Koechlin
. which turned out to be a huge box office success and was well received by critics.
along with her brother Farhan Akhtar
.
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...
.
Personal life
Zoya Akhtar was born on January 9, 1974 in Bombay (now Mumbai). She is the daughter of poetPoet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
, lyricist
Lyricist
A lyricist is a songwriter who specializes in lyrics. A singer who writes the lyrics to songs is a singer-lyricist. This differentiates from a singer-composer, who composes the song's melody.-Collaboration:...
and screenwriter
Screenwriter
Screenwriters or scriptwriters or scenario writers are people who write/create the short or feature-length screenplays from which mass media such as films, television programs, Comics or video games are based.-Profession:...
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...
, twin sister of film director, actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
, producer
Film producer
A film producer oversees and delivers a film project to all relevant parties while preserving the integrity, voice and vision of the film. They will also often take on some financial risk by using their own money, especially during the pre-production period, before a film is fully financed.The...
, singer
Playback singer
A playback singer is a singer whose singing is prerecorded for use in movies. Playback singers record songs for soundtracks, and actors or actresses lip-sync the songs for cameras, while the actual singer does not appear on screen.-South Asia:...
, and lyricist
Lyricist
A lyricist is a songwriter who specializes in lyrics. A singer who writes the lyrics to songs is a singer-lyricist. This differentiates from a singer-composer, who composes the song's melody.-Collaboration:...
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 granddaughter 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....
. Her mother is screenwriter 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...
. She went to school at Maneckji Cooper and earned her Bachelors of Arts degree at Xavier's College, both in Mumbai. Later, she joined the New York University Film School to learn Film production.
Zoya was brought up atheist, as her father Javed Akhtar stated in his speech "Spirituality, Halo or Hoax".
Early career
Zoya has worked on a number of commercials including PepsiPepsi
Pepsi is a carbonated soft drink that is produced and manufactured by PepsiCo...
and Finolex
Finolex Group
Finolex Group is a private sector conglomerate based in Pune, India. The Finolex Group comprises Finolex Cables Ltd., Finolex Industries Ltd., Finolex J-Power Systems Ltd. and Finolex Plasson Industries Ltd. The group was founded in 1958 by P. P. Chhabria and K. P. Chhabria...
. She has co-directed a music video called Price of Bullets for a rock band. She has also worked as a casting director for various films including 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...
, Kamasutra: A Tale of Love and Split Wide Open
Split Wide Open
Split Wide Open is a 1999 Indian film and is Dev Benegal's second feature film after English, August. The film primarily deals with the Water conflicts in the slums of Bombay, and paedophilia, and also looks at the subversive sexuality in modern India and how the notions of morality are challenged...
, and as an assistant director
Assistant director
The role of an Assistant director include tracking daily progress against the filming production schedule, arranging logistics, preparing daily call sheets, checking cast and crew, maintaining order on the set. They also have to take care of health and safety of the crew...
for her brother Farhan's films, Lakshya (film)
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...
and 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...
. She then worked as an executive producer
Executive producer
An executive producer is a producer who is not involved in any technical aspects of the film making or music process, but who is still responsible for the overall production...
for her longtime friend 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 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...
, also produced by Excel Entertainment
Excel Entertainment
Excel Entertainment is an Indian film studio based in Mumbai. It was created by Farhan Akhtar, and Ritesh Sidhwani in 1999. The two have gone on to create several films under Excel's banner.-Farhan Akhtar:...
.
Direction
Zoya made her directorial debut with Luck By ChanceLuck 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...
which was well-received by critics, despite not doing well at the box office. Her second movie as a director is 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...
, a multistarrer with Hrithik Roshan
Hrithik Roshan
Hrithik Roshan is an Indian actor who appears in Bollywood films.After having appeared in films as a child actor in the 1980s, Roshan made his film debut in a leading role in Kaho Naa... Pyaar Hai for which Roshan earned his Filmfare Awards for Best Actor and Best Male Debut...
, Abhay Deol
Abhay Deol
Abhay Deol is an Indian actor from Mumbai, India. He is an Indian film actor and producer whose family has a long history in the Hindi film industry. Deol has appeared in films such as Dev.D and Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye!. He is the nephew of Bollywood actor Dharmendra, and the cousin of Sunny Deol 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...
, Katrina Kaif
Katrina Kaif
Katrina Kaif is a British Indian actress and former model who appears in Indian films, mainly in the Hindi-language film industry. She has also appeared in Telugu and Malayalam films. She was voted the sexiest Asian woman in the world by Eastern Eye in the years 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011...
and Kalki Koechlin
Kalki Koechlin
Kalki Koechlin is an Indian film actress of French descent who debuted in Anurag Kashyap's critically acclaimed 2009 Hindi film Dev.D...
. which turned out to be a huge box office success and was well received by critics.
Director
| Year | Film | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 2009 | 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... |
|
| 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... |
Story Writer
| Year | Film | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 2009 | 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... |
|
| 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... |
|
| 2012 | Talaash (2012 film) |
Executive Producer
| Year | Film | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 2004 | 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... |
|
| 2007 | 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... |
|
| 2009 | 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... |
Assistant Director
| Year | Film | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1998 | Bombay Boys Bombay Boys Bombay Boys is an unorthodox comedy film written and directed by the Indian director Kaizad Gustad. It follows the adventures of three young men in modern-day Mumbai . The boys are of Indian origin, but were all raised in the West. Krishna Sahni is an aspiring actor from New York who wants to... |
|
| 2001 | 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... |
|
| 2004 | 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... |
Other
She appeared on the Valentine's Day charity show of Kaun Banega CrorepatiKaun Banega Crorepati
Kaun Banega Crorepati is an Indian reality/game show based on the UK game show Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? which offers a maximum cash prize of £1 million. The show first aired in 2000 and was hosted by Amitabh Bachchan. This was the first appearance of Bachchan on Indian television...
along with her brother 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...
.