Nitesh Tiwari

Biography:

Nitesh Tiwari, an Indian filmmaker, screenwriter, and lyricist renowned for his contributions to Bollywood, made his debut as a co-director with Chillar Party (2011), which earned the National Film Award for Best Children’s Film. He further directed the supernatural political drama Bhoothnath Returns (2014).

Tiwari achieved immense success with Dangal (2016), the highest-grossing Indian film. The movie received acclaim and was showcased at prestigious events like the Beijing International Film Festival and the second BRICS festival in 2017. Dangal stands as the fifth highest-grossing non-English film globally, with earnings exceeding ₹2,000 crore (US$250 million), including ₹1,200 crore in China. Tiwari’s directorial prowess earned him the Filmfare Award for Best Director at the 62nd Filmfare Awards and the Telstra People’s Choice Award at the 2017 Indian Film Festival of Melbourne. Following this triumph, he directed the well-received comedy-drama film Chhichhore (2019).

Beyond his directorial achievements, Tiwari co-founded Earthsky Pictures, involved in producing ad films and the docu-series Break Point, centered on Indian tennis legends Mahesh Bhupathi and Leander Paes.

Born in Madhya Pradesh to B. D. Tiwari, Nitesh graduated from the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay in 1996 with a bachelor’s degree in Metallurgy and Material Science engineering. Prior to his Bollywood career, he worked as a creative director at Leo Burnett. Tiwari’s upbringing in the small town of Ganj Basoda included attending Bharat Mata Convent School until the 8th grade, where he performed in a school play titled “Tapori-Mughal-e-Azam.”

Nitesh Tiwari is married to Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari, a former colleague and creative director at Leo Burnett, who is also a film director, producer, and writer. They are parents to twins, a boy, and a girl.