Aanand L. Rai
Personal details
  • Born:
    • Birthday: 1971-06-28
  • Also Known As:

    Aanand L Rai, Anand L Rai

Aanand L. Rai

Aanand L. Rai is an acclaimed Indian film director and producer, highly celebrated for crafting realistic and successful romantic comedies and intense dramas, often set in small North Indian towns. Born in Delhi in 1971, he initially pursued a degree in Computer Engineering before moving to Mumbai and transitioning to television, assisting his elder brother, Ravi Rai, and eventually directing his own TV shows. He made his directorial debut with the films Strangers (2007) and Thodi Life Thoda Magic (2008), but his career breakthrough came with the 2011 romantic-comedy Tanu Weds Manu, starring R. Madhavan and Kangana Ranaut. He cemented his reputation with the critically and commercially successful 2013 romantic drama Raanjhanaa, which marked the Bollywood debut of Dhanush, and its sequel, Tanu Weds Manu Returns (2015), which became a blockbuster. Rai's films are known for their strong emotional core, well-etched, grounded characters, and realistic small-town settings, often exploring the complexities of love, longing, and social dynamics. He is also a prolific producer under his banner, Colour Yellow Productions, backing critically appreciated films like Nil Battey Sannata (2016), Shubh Mangal Saavdhan (2017), Mukkabaaz (2018), and Tumbbad (2018). While his big-budget directorial venture, Zero (2018), was a box office disappointment, he returned to form with the OTT release Atrangi Re (2021). Rai is currently in the news for his upcoming film, Tere Ishk Mein (2025), which reunites him with Dhanush and is being described as a spiritual successor in the intense love story universe of Raanjhanaa.

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