In Bollywood, as in the west, cinematic talent presents itself in various forms. The business of movie making is versatile and accommodating of anyone hoping to try their luck in a different medium. Successful singers, like Jennifer Lopez and Will Smith, can experience what’s like to be in feature films for a change, and actors like George Clooney and Ben Affleck can run the show as a director. In Bollywood, the trend of career swapping is nothing new either. Legendary singer Kishore Kumar was also known as an actor and director of considerable talents in his career; Sonu Nigam and Vasundhara Das have both put down the mike and picked up scripts as well! From the 40’s to present, a considerable amount of actors have felt confident enough in their skills learnt in front of the camera to use them behind, often pulling double duty on both sides, some with remarkable success!
The Kapoor family of actors has dipped their feet in the well of directing many times, starting with Raj Kapoor. He debuted as director with Aag in 1948, and from then on has only experienced major triumphs in both fields of his career that spanned over 3 decades! Wearing three hats of actor, producer, and director, Raj Kapoor skyrocketed to super stardom with hits like Barsaat (1949), Awara (1951), Shree 420 (1955), and Mera Naam Joker (1970). Mother India star Sunil Dutt became director for three movies, starting with Yaadein in 1964. After that, he produced and appeared in Reshma Aur Shera (1971) and Rocky (1981).  Manoj Kumar, known for his patriotism and tense romance dramas, wrote and directed his first movie Upkar in 1967. He’s had successes with Shor (1972), Roti Kapada Aur Makkan (1974), and Kranti (1981). Dev Anand helmed a total of 18 films as director, producing and writing most of them as well. He has become renowned for hits like Hara Raama Hare Krishna (1971), Heera Panna (1973), and Des Pardes (1978). Feroz Khan achieved film fame by directing, producing, and starring in blockbusters like Qurbani (1980) and Janbaaz (1986). Rakesh Roshan is yet another actor turned director, achieving more continued success in the latter. Still proving to be a bankable artist with the K charm, Roshan has contributed Karan Arjun (1995), Kaho Naa… Pyar Hai (2000), Koi… Mil Gaya (2003) and the upcoming Krrish 2 to cinematic history!
Most recently, Aamir Khan and Ajay Devgan have directed their first movies with victorious audience reception! Aamir has proven himself as formidable a director as he is an actor with the critically acclaimed and commercially successful Taare Zameen Par. Aamir was applauded and awarded for his adept handling of such a serious subject matter, as his lead character suffers from dyslexia and rejection among his peers. Fellow directors and critics have hailed the movie as “not just out of the box, but out of this world” and easily one of the best films of the year! Aamir’s Ishq (1997) costar Ajay Devgan has debuted in the world of directing and writing with U, Me Aur Hum. The movie received decent reviews, with critics impressed with Ajay’s depiction of this uncommon romance drama. Film journalist Taran Adarsh called the film “a medal that glimmers on Ajay Devgan’s body of work.” Devgan and wife Kajol (in their seventh film together!) were both praised for their powerful performances and remarkable chemistry.
Aamir and Ajay have added their names to an impressive list that also comprises of Rishi Kapoor, Sunny Deol, Dilip Kumar, Naseeruddin Shah, Shammi Kapoor, Anupam Kher, Shashi Kapoor, and even Hema Malini as noteworthy actors turned directors, if only for once! They’ve all proved that with perseverance and commitment to the art form, actors can learn from their directors and emulate them in their own undertakings, and really find out if the grass is greener!