Meet Bollywood’s biggest director, his one film earned Rs 2000 crores, was once software developer, now will bring India’s costliest film with…

Nitesh Tiwari with his team

For ages, we have heard that ‘a director is the captain of the ship’. A skilled storyteller can take an audience member into an imaginative world or can make them introduce to an unknown or rather neglected fact of life. A good story can only be justified under the hands of a skilled director. Today we will discuss one such movie director, an outsider who quit his routine life because he knew his true calling. 

After years of striving, he finally entered Bollywood. After making a forgettable-but-notable start with Chillar Party (2011), Nitesh, with his third directorial created history, a feat which is still pertinent, unbreakable, and unreachable. His bold attitude and blending of comedy with subtle drama made the audience his fans. Arguably, Nitesh Tiwari is the biggest Bollywood director and one of the top directors of Indian cinema. 

Nitesh Tiwari’s background

Born on May 22, 1973, in Madhya Pradesh to B. D. Tiwari, Nitesh was inclined towards studies from an early age. Nitesh completed his studies at IIT Bombay in 1996 and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Metallurgy and Material Science engineering. During his studies, Nitesh used to write stories, and since then he has dreamt about becoming a writer. During his IIT days, Nitesh used to write plays or one-act or mono-acting pieces. He was always keen to do something original that should ‘stay’ with him.

Nitesh Tiwari with late Sushant Singh Rajput during Chhichhore

Nitesh worked as a software developer 

Recently, Nitesh interacted with Komal Nahta in his podcast, Game Changers. There he revealed that he worked as a software developer for four months. He said, “In my time, in the 90s, if you were good at studies, you would either become a doctor or an engineer. It’s not that I didn’t have interest. I even worked in a software company for 4 months, but somewhere I didn’t find that piece. I wanted to do what I love, you know, not what I want to be made to do.” 

How Nitesh Tiwari is Bollywood’s biggest director

Nitesh entered Bollywood, co-directing Chillar Party (2011). Then he directed a hit sequel of Bhootnath, Bhootnath Returns (2014). Two years after his last film, Nitesh came with the biopic drama Dangal. The Aamir Khan-starrer was released in 2016, and it became a worldwide phenomenon. As per the reports, Dangal worldwide collection is over Rs 2000 crores. Dangal is the only Indian film that has crossed the Rs 2000 crore mark, and that makes him Bollywood’s biggest director.

Nitesh Tiwari with Aamir Khan during Dangal

Nitesh Tiwari’s upcoming Rs 800 crore magnum opus  

Currently, Nitesh Tiwari is working on the cinematic adaptation of the Indian epic Ramayana. The movie stars Ranbir Kapoor, Sai Pallavi, Yash, and Sunny Deol in key roles. The epic is divided into two parts, and the reported budget of the franchise is Rs 800 crores. Part One is completed, and post-production is underway. Ramayana Part One is scheduled for Diwali 2026.