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Ayan Mukerji is an Indian Hindi film director, actor, scriptwriter, and producer. He is the director of Bollywood’s mythological trilogy film, Brahmāstra.
Wiki/Biography
Ayan Mukerji was born on Monday, 15 August 1983 (age 40 years; as of 2023) in Mumbai. His zodiac sign is Leo. After completing his schooling at Jamnabai Narsee School in Mumbai, Ayan Mukerji enrolled in the Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Technology (RGIT), where he pursued graduation in software engineering. According to Ayan, he dropped out of college in the first year of graduation.
Physical Appearance
Height (approx.): 5′ 9″
Hair Colour: Black
Eye Colour: Dark Brown
Family
Samrat Mukerji is from the very famous Mukerji-Samarth family, a Bengali-Marathi clan.
Parents & Siblings
His father, Deb Mukerji, is an actor and has worked in several Bengali films.
Ayan Mukerji with his father Deb Mukerji
His mother’s name is Amrit Mukerji.
Amrit Mukerji with her husband Deb Mukerji
His stepsister, Sunita Gowariker, is married to Ashutosh Gowariker, a Bollywood director.
Ayan Mukerji with his sister Sunita Gowariker
Wife
Ayan Mukerji is unmarried.
Religion
Ayan Mukerji follows Hinduism.
Ayan Mukerji’s Instagram post
Address
He resides at 535, Hasnabad Lane, Willingdon, Santacruz West, Mumbai, Maharashtra-400054.
Career
After dropping out of college, Ayan Mukerji decided to pursue a career in Bollywood as a film director. In 2003, he approached his brother-in-law, Ashutosh Gowariker, who offered him to work as an assistant director in the 2004 Hindi film Swades. While talking about it, Ayan, in an interview, said,
I approached my brother-in-law Ashutosh Gowariker and he gave me an amazing window to the cinema. I will be for ever grateful to him.”
Ayan Mukerji during a group photoshoot during the shooting of the Bollywood film Swades
According to Ayan, during the making of the film, Swades, he developed a close bond with the Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan. He also said that his closeness with Shah Rukh Khan allowed him to directly contact Karan Johar and work with him. In an interview, while talking about it, he said,
The stint helped me acquaint myself with superstar Shah Rukh Khan and gave me the much needed confidence to send a text message directly to Karan Johar. We later met at a film festival which was held in Goa in 2004 and I got a job of assisting Karan Johar on his film Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna.”
In the 2005 Bollywood film titled Home Delivery, Ayan made a cameo appearance. In the film, he worked alongside Boman Irani, Ayesha Takia, and Vivek Oberoi. In 2006, Ayan Mukerji worked as an assistant director and made a cameo appearance in Karan Johar’s Hindi film Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna. In the 2009 Bollywood film Wake Up Sid, Ayan Mukerji not only worked as an assistant director but also played a vital role in drafting the script of the film. According to Ayan, during the shoot of the film, he developed a very close friendship with Ranbir Kapoor. On several occasions, Ayan expressed his gratitude to Ranbir for supporting him during the early stage of his career. Talking about it, Ayan, in an interview, said,
He has become tied in with my creative process and life. There is a fear when two people work only and constantly with each other that they’ll tie each other down. But the honest truth is that there is nothing about the collaboration that feels wrong. It is only enriching the movies I want to make.”
In 2013, Ayan Mukerji not only directed and prepared the script but also made a guest appearance in the Bollywood film Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani. In 2022, almost after a decade of not directing any film, Ayan Mukerji announced that he was working as a director in a mythological Bollywood film titled Brahmāstra. He also said that the film has been inspired by Hindu mythological tales and will be released as a trilogy. He also revealed that the film will be starred by Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, and Amitabh Bachchan. During an interview, he said,
The threads with which Brahmastra has been woven go very deep. As a child, I grew up loving stories about Indian history. My father used to tell me a lot about our powerful gods and goddesses, and I was deeply affected by them. Shiv bhagwan and Vishnu bhagwan, Ganpati ji and Hanuman ji , maa durga and maa kaali. A certain spiritual depth and even science in Indian philosophy naturally infuse most people’s lives growing up in India.”
Ayan Mukerji with Alia Bhatt on the sets of Brahmastra
Controversy
Accused of consuming narcotics
In 2019, a video surfaced on the internet that was made during Karan Johar’s party at his residence in Mumbai. In the video, several Bollywood stars, including Ayan Mukerji, were accused of consuming banned narcotics substances during the party. After the video went viral, the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) summoned Karan Johar to clarify the issue.
Ayan in a still from the leaked video
Awards
- In 2009, Ayan Mukerji was awarded a Filmfare Award for Best Debut Director. The award was given to him for the Bollywood film Wake Up Sid.
Ayan Mukerji after receiving his first Filmfare award
- In 2010, Ayan Mukerji was awarded Stardust Award for the Hottest New Director. The award was given to him for the Bollywood film Wake Up Sid.
- In 2010, Ayan Mukerji was awarded Producers Guild Film Award for Best Debut Director for the film Wake Up Sid.
- In 2014, for the film Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani, Ayan Mukerji was given Zee Cine Award for Best Screen Play.
- In 2014, Ayan Mukerji was given Zee Cine Award for Best Debut Director for the film Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani.
Note: Ayan Mukerji has been nominated several times at award functions such as Filmfare Awards, Producers Guild Film Award, and Zee Cine Awards.
Net Worth
As of 2022, Ayan Mukerji’s net worth is Rs 1,03,71,81,600 (approx).
Favourites
- Film(s): Singin’ in the Rain (Hollywood), Beauty and the Beast (Hollywood), Lamhe (Bollywood), Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar (Bollywood), Dilwale Dulhania Le Jaayenge (Bollywood), Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (Bollywood), and Dil Chahta Hai (Bollywood).
Facts/Trivia
- According to Ayan Mukerji, he will never direct a Bengali film because of its limited reach. He also said that as compared to Bengali cinema, Hindi cinema has a better reach because of its language. While talking about it, he said,
No, I do not want to make a film there. Language plays a very important role. Language is used to communicate your actual thought. Hindi films are the currency where I can reach more people and say what I want to say (sic).”
- During an interview, Ayan Mukerji said that famous Hollywood films like Harry Potter and The Lord of the Rings inspired him to direct a movie like Brahmastra. He said,
As a teenager, I became a big reader, and like many others from my generation, I was very excited by certain fantasy series from the western world. The Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter are among my all-time favorites. As a young filmmaker, I enjoyed greatly and observed closely how Hollywood regularly used technology to bring their storytelling alive as blockbuster cinema.”
- Kajol, Sharbani Mukerji, and Rani Mukerji are his cousin sisters.
Sharbani Mukerji, Rani Mukerji, and Kajol with Ayan Mukerji during Durga Puja which was in Kolkata
- On several occasions, Ayan Mukerji has been seen consuming alcohol.
Ayan Mukerji having a beer during an outing with his colleagues