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What Toilet director has in common with Raju Hirani

Last updated on: August 11, 2017 09:17 IST

Yes, they're both movie directors.
But there's something else..

IMAGE: Akshay Kumar and Bhumi Pednekar in Toilet: Ek Prem Katha.

Akshay Kumar's Toilet: Ek Prem Katha will see an editor-turned-director at its helm.

Shree Narayan Singh edited movies like A Wednesday, Baby, Rustom and MS Dhoni: The Untold Story before he turned director in 2012 with Yeh Jo Mohabbat Hai.

The film starred Aditya Samanta, grandson of the late director Shakti Samanta (he gave us films like Kati Patang, Kashmir Ki Kali, Aradhana, An Evening In Paris, Amar Prem and many more).

After a five year gap, Singh returns with Toilet - Ek Prem Katha, a story inspired by true events.

We take a look at other film editors, who have turned directors.

 

Bela Segal

IMAGE: Farah Khan and Boman Irani in Shirin Farhad Ki Toh Nikal Padi.

Bela, filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali's sister, started her career as an editor with his first film, Khamoshi: The Musical, in 1996.

She edited her brother's films, until 2007's Saawariya.

She turned director with the fun 2012 film, Shirin Farhad Ki Toh Nikal Padi, starring Boman Irani and Farah Khan.

Sharmin Segal, Bela's daughter, will be launched later this year in a film produced by her uncle, but not directed by her mother.

Shirish Kunder 

IMAGE: Salman Khan and Preity Zinta in Jaan-E-Mann.

Shirish started editing films in 2000 with the Sunny Deol starrer Champion.

He went on to edit films like Aankhen, Calcutta Mail and Main Hoon Na.

He met Farah Khan on the sets of Main Hoon Na, they fell in love and got married in 2004 after the film released.

Two years later, Shirish directed his first film Jaan-E-Mann: Let's Fall in Love... Again, with Akshay Kumar, Salman Khan and Preity Zinta. The film received good reviews, but flopped at the box office.

His second film, 2012's Joker, again starring Akshay Kumar, was a disaster. In 2016, he made a short film called Kriti.

Shimit Amin

IMAGE: Nana Patekar on the Ab Tak Chhappan poster.

Shimit grew up in Florida, as a film buff, and worked on independent movies in Los Angeles.

A friend, Sameer Sharma, was a writer on Ram Gopal Varma's Bhoot, and Shimit got an opportunity to edit the film.

RGV was very impressed, and offered him the chance to direct Ab Tak Chhappan the next year. It was a hit.

Shimit followed it up with Chak De! India with Shah Rukh Khan, and won a National Award for it.

His last film Rocket Singh: Salesman of the Year, starring Ranbir Kapoor, got good reviews.

Rajkumar Hirani

IMAGE: Arshad Warsi and Sanjay Dutt in Lage Raho Munna Bhai.

Raju started his career editing the Salman Khan-starrer Jab Pyar Kiya To Darna Kya in 1991, followed by Jazbaat and Mission Kashmir.

In 2003, he directed his first film Munna Bhai MBBS, starring Sanjay Dutt and Arshad Warsi. The huge hit inspired a sequel, Lage Raho Munna Bhai.

Three Idiots and PK's super blockbuster success later, the unassuming Raju is the leading director in Bollywood.

Chandan Arora

IMAGE: Antara Mali and Rajpal Yadav on the Main Madhuri Dixit Banna Chahti Hoon poster.

Another Ram Gopal Varma protege, Chandan started his career in 1999, editing RGV films Mast, Jungle, Company and Road.

He stepped out of Ramu's orbit to edit Cheeni Kum, Krrish 3, Ghayal Once Again and Ki & Ka and the Marathi film Fandry.

In 2003, Chandan directed his first film, Main Madhuri Dixit Banna Chahti Hoon, and followed it up with Main, Meri Patni... Aur Woh! and Striker.

Sadly, his films didn't make a mark at the box office.

Apurva Asrani

IMAGE: Hrishita Bhatt, Riteish Deshmukh and Brande Roderick on the Out Of Control poster.

Apurva started his career with the television countdown show BPL Oye! as an assistant.

At 19, he edited his first film Satya for Ram Gopal Varma.

He has edited many more films including Shahid, City Lights and Aligarh, which he also co-wrote with director Hansal Mehta.

Apurva and Hansal have since fallen out over the director giving credit for the dialogues for Simran to its star Kangana Ranaut.

Apurva directed his only film in 2003, Out of Control, starring Riteish Deshmukh. It flopped.

David Dhawan

IMAGE: The Jurrat poster.

David started his editing career with Laadli in 1978, and went on to edit movies like Saath Saath, Souten, Saaransh, Sultanat and Naam.

He started his directing career with Jurrat in 1989, starring Kumar Gaurav and Amala. It flopped.

His first big hit was Swarg, starring Govinda and Rajesh Khanna.

In 1993, his Aankhen was such a huge hit that he went on to collaborate with Govinda on many more comedies.

He is currently working on Judwaa 2, starring his younger son Varun.

Hrishikesh Mukherjee

IMAGE: Scenes from Musafir.

Hrishida began his career as an editor with Bimal Roy in Calcutta.

When the legendary director moved to Bombay, his crew -- including Hrishida, art director Sudhendhu Roy and writer Sampooran Singh (whom we now know as Gulzar) -- accompanied him as well.

Hrishida's first film in Bombay was Parineeta in 1953. He edited and assisted Bimal Roy on Do Bigha Zamin.

Among the other films he edited are Bimal Roy's Madhumati, Nitin Bose's Ganga Jamuna and Ramu Kariat's Malayalam classic Chemmeen.

His directorial debut Musafir, starring Dilip Kumar, in 1957 didn't work at the office, but he followed it up with Anari starring Raj Kapoor.

Hrishida directed 47 films including Anand, Anupama, Aashirwad, Satyakam, Guddi, Bawarchi, Abhimaan, Namak Haraam, Mili, Chupke Chupke, Golmaal and Khubsoorat.

Abhijit Kokate

Photographs: Kind courtesy Priyanka Bose/Instagram and Tannishtha Chatterjee/Twitter

Abhijit was still a student in an editing course when Ram Gopal Varma asked him to edit the trailer of his film Not A Love Story.

Ramu was so impressed with Abhijit's work that he asked him to edit the entire film.

Abhijit went on to edit Department and Kangana Ranaut's hit Queen.

He now turns director with Rakkhosh, starring Priyanka Bose, Tannishtha Chatterjee and Sanjay Mishra.

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