Sooraj R. Barjatya

Biography:

Sooraj R. Barjatya is an Indian filmmaker renowned for his contributions to Hindi cinema. As the chairman of Rajshri Productions, a company established by his late grandfather Tarachand Barjatya in 1947, Barjatya has directed and produced some of the most commercially successful Hindi films. His cinematic endeavors often revolve around themes of familial bonds and traditional Indian values, deeply rooted in the country’s cultural ethos.

Barjatya’s journey in the film industry commenced as an assistant director to Mahesh Bhatt. He marked his directorial debut with the iconic romantic drama “Maine Pyar Kiya” (1989), featuring Salman Khan and Bhagyashree in leading roles, which emerged as a top-grossing film of its time.

Subsequently, he collaborated with Khan again, this time alongside Madhuri Dixit, for the milestone film “Hum Aapke Hain Koun..!” (1994), which not only became the highest-grossing Indian film to date but also pioneered the trend of glamorous family dramas and NRI-centric narratives, setting the stage for Bollywood’s “big-fat-wedding-film” phenomenon. His cinematic influence extended to inspiring acclaimed filmmakers like Aditya Chopra and Karan Johar to explore cultural themes in their works.

Barjatya continued his streak of commercial successes with family dramas such as “Hum Saath-Saath Hain” (1999), “Main Prem Ki Diwani Hoon” (2003) featuring Hrithik Roshan, Kareena Kapoor, and Abhishek Bachchan, and “Vivah” (2006) starring Shahid Kapoor and Amrita Rao. After a hiatus of nine years from directing, he made a triumphant return with the romantic family drama “Prem Ratan Dhan Payo” (2015).

Born on February 22, 1965, into a Marwari Jain family in Mumbai, Barjatya received his education at St. Mary’s School, Mumbai, and The Scindia School in Gwalior. Encouraged by his paternal grandfather, Tarachand Barjatya, he embarked on his filmmaking journey at the tender age of 24. In 1986, he tied the knot with Vineeta Barjatya, with whom he shares three children.