Before Toxic, 15 Films That Broke Their Directors' Moulds

From Sanjay Leela Bhansali and S S Rajamouli to Sundar C and Ayan Mukerji, these 15 filmmakers took a wild detour from their comfort zones, with wildly different results.

Toxic isn't just an acid test for Yash to prove his pan-India stardom extends beyond the KGF universe. This expensively-mounted spectacle is an equally massive litmus test for its director, Geetu Mohandas.

It isn't merely about a female filmmaker helming a massive tentpole in a heavily male-dominated industry. It is about a radical shift in artistic sensibilities. The actor-turned-director's two previous features were intimately crafted, modestly budgeted human dramas.

Her acclaimed directorial debut, Liar's Dice (2013), starred Geetanjali Thapa and Nawazuddin Siddiqui, bagging National Awards for Best Actress and Best Cinematography for her husband, Rajeev Ravi.

The poignant road movie followed a tribal woman, her young daughter and a pet goat on a search for her missing husband, aided by a cynical ex-army man.

Her sophomore outing, Moothon (2019), was a gritty gangster drama. Also centred on a desperate search for a missing sibling, it wrapped a tragic queer love story inside a violent exterior. Boasting what is arguably Nivin Pauly's finest performance to date, the ensemble also included Roshan Mathew, Shashank Arora, Sobhita Dhulipala, Sanjana Dipu and Dileesh Pothan.

Toxic, therefore, arrives as a staggering departure from her sensitive roots. Going by the trailers, it looks like an unapologetically hyper-masculine, blood-soaked action saga led by the exact kind of alpha protagonist this indie filmmaker would typically deconstruct rather than glorify.

It will be fascinating to see whether Toxic is a straightforward star vehicle, or if it harbours hidden depths that align with Mohandas’ publicly known feminist sensibilities.

Much like Mohandas shifting gears with Toxic, cinema history is littered with auteurs deeply associated with a specific aesthetic who suddenly swerved into a completely different lane.

These are the filmmakers who deliberately defied audience expectations to deliver something totally out of left field, proving that even the most established directors occasionally want to break their own rules.

Sreeju Sudhakaran examines 15 such outlier movies made by popular directors, and checks out if these bold cinematic experiments actually paid off.

Manichitrathazhu (1993)

Director: Fazil

Manichitrathazhu is the kind of cinematic milestone that effortlessly claims a spot on any Malayali cinephile's all-time top 10 list. It is widely regarded as the crowning achievement of legendary filmmaker Fazil.

Yet, it sticks out dramatically in his overarching body of work. Unlike the poignant, tear-jerking family dramas he built his formidable reputation on, this atmospheric psychological horror dramedy was a massive leap into entirely complex territory for both the director and his audience.

Did The Gamble Pay Off? Beyond all measure. The fact that it remains an undisputed, evergreen masterpiece that continues to enthral audiences three decades later says absolutely everything you need to know.

Thiruda Thiruda (1993)

Director: Mani Ratnam

Mani Ratnam built his towering legacy on poignant, emotionally resonant human dramas that deeply connected with viewers through complex relationship dynamics. Yet, right in the middle of his peak, he took a wild detour with Thiruda Thiruda.

This kinetic and chaotic comic caper about two conmen, a runaway woman, a femme fatale and a massive treasure hunt was unlike anything he had attempted before, or after.

The fact that he never ventured into such purely light-hearted territory again speaks volumes about the experience.

Did The Gamble Pay Off? Commercially, it was a mixed bag. Today, Thiruda Thiruda enjoys a cult following and remains a highly entertaining romp, even if the lead performances are undeniably weak.

However, when stacked against the absolute masterpieces Ratnam was churning out back-to-back in the '80s and '90s, it often ranks among his lesser works. If nothing else, it remains universally beloved for A R Rahman's boisterous soundtrack.

Pingami (1994)

Director: Sathyan Anthikad

Ask any Malayali film buff to name a movie that completely betrays its director's usual brand, and the unanimous answer would be Pingami. Sathyan Anthikad is well known for his slice-of-life, socially conscious dramedies crafted strictly for family audiences.

With Pingami, however, he boldly encroached on the testosterone-fuelled territory typically reserved for Joshiy or Shaji Kailas, delivering a hyper-heroic revenge thriller.

Did The Gamble Pay Off? Eventually, yes. During its initial theatrical run, Pingami settled as a strictly average grosser, largely because audiences then simply did not know how to process this 'experiment' from a beloved family filmmaker.

However, through endless television reruns, the film gradually achieved cult status. Today, Pingami is hailed for its twisty investigative plot, Mohanlal's commanding lead performance and Anthikad's surprisingly deft handling of an entirely unfamiliar genre.

Awara Paagal Deewana (2002)

Director: Vikram Bhatt

Today, Vikram Bhatt is associated with churning out schlocky erotic thrillers, cheap 3D horror flicks or bizarre combinations of both.

It is easy to forget that he once directed Ghulam, arguably his best movie. It is even more shocking to remember that he also helmed the riotously funny Awara Paagal Deewana. Who expected the director of Raaz and Fareb to venture into Priyadarshan territory?

Did The Gamble Pay Off? Absolutely. Awara Paagal Deewana was a smash hit at the box office. The impeccable comic timing of Akshay Kumar, Paresh Rawal, Johnny Lever and Suniel Shetty instantly clicked with the masses.

A major chunk of the credit belongs to the late Neeraj Vora's crackling dialogues, which gave the film such a distinct Priyadarshan flavour that many assumed the 'king of comedy' had actually directed it.

Vikram Bhatt attempted to strike gold a second time with the spiritual sequel Deewane Huye Paagal (2005). While that film now enjoys a decent fanbase, it tanked theatrically upon release, effectively ending Bhatt's brief flirtation with the comedy genre.

Anbe Sivam (2003)

Director: Sundar C

Today, Sundar C is largely synonymous with churning out mindless horror-comedies or loud masala potboilers, frequently casting himself as the leading man. Yet, there was a brief, glorious window where he stepped behind the camera to deliver Anbe Sivam.

It had an intellectually rich screenplay that openly debated capitalism versus communism and theism versus atheism, anchored by a towering performance from Kamal Haasan.

Did The Gamble Pay Off? At the box office, sadly no. However, Anbe Sivam is hailed today as an intelligent cult classic. I join countless other cinephiles in firmly believing it remains Sundar C's best work by a massive margin.

Tragically, it is a creative peak the director staunchly refuses to revisit, perfectly content instead to keep churning out franchises that make you cringe at both the comedy and the horror.

Paheli (2005)

Director: Amol Palekar

The acclaimed actor-turned-filmmaker carved a distinct directorial niche through highly sensitive, grounded human dramas in both Hindi and Marathi, delivering quiet gems like Ankahee, Thodasa Rumani Ho Jaye, Daayraa, Anahat and Kairee.

He then caught everyone completely off guard by pivoting to a vibrant, big-budget fantasy entertainer starring Shah Rukh Khan and Rani Mukerji.

Making things even more intriguing, Paheli was a mainstream remake of a lesser-known arthouse film (Duvidha) by auteur Mani Kaul.

Did The Gamble Pay Off? Commercially, Paheli stumbled at the box office, despite Shah Rukh Khan's 'spare no expense' approach as a producer, though it did fare significantly better overseas.

Paheli earned warm reviews from critics and was selected as India's official entry for the Oscars that year. Over time, Paheli has cultivated a fiercely loyal fanbase that deeply cherishes its vivid, colourful storytelling and the hauntingly beautiful soundtrack by M M Keeravani (then credited as M M Kreem).

Black (2005)

Director: Sanjay Leela Bhansali

Sanjay Leela Bhansali is synonymous with lavishly mounted, visually enchanting musical spectacles that almost inevitably culminate in tragic finales.

His entire filmography relies on grandiose soundtracks to pull audiences into his opulent worlds. So, imagine the absolute shock of the audience when, fresh off the massive success of Devdas, he made Black.

Stripped entirely of lip-synced songs and devoid of a traditional romantic track, the film focused purely on the unconventional, turbulent bond between Amitabh Bachchan's eccentric tutor and Rani Mukerji's visually and hearing-impaired protagonist.

Did The Gamble Pay Off? Resoundingly yes. Black earned glowing reviews from critics who lauded Bhansali's bold stylistic gamble and the powerhouse central performances. It also found a remarkably warm reception at the box office. Black also impressed the National Film Awards jury, bagging Best Feature Film in Hindi and earning Bachchan his second Best Actor trophy.

Return of Hanuman (2007)

Director: Anurag Kashyap

Say the name Anurag Kashyap, and the mind instantly conjures dark, brooding, expletive-laden crime sagas dripping with socio-political commentary.

If you told a casual Bollywood fan that this outspoken indie provocateur once directed an animated children's movie, you would likely be laughed out of the room.

Yet, Kashyap genuinely took on that bizarre challenge, helming the animated film Return of Hanuman. In his quirky iteration, ancient mythological figures suddenly became tech-obsessed, bantering with each other in fluent Hinglish.

Did The Gamble Pay Off? Not quite. Return of Hanuman failed to charm critics, who were largely unimpressed by both Kashyap's chaotic modern spin and the subpar animation quality, nor the kids who gave the film a miss.

Today, it exists purely as a baffling cinematic oddity in his otherwise gritty filmography. Unsurprisingly, Kashyap never ventured into the children's genre again.

Black & White (2008)

Director: Subhash Ghai

As the undisputed baap of masala cinema, Subhash Ghai built his legacy on larger-than-life potboilers led by A-list superstars and chart-busting populist soundtracks.

Then came Black & White. Stripping away every single extravagant trademark associated with his brand, Ghai surprised the industry by delivering a stark, grounded anti-terrorism drama starring Anil Kapoor, Shefali Shah and newcomer Anurag Sinha.

The movie also featured early appearances from Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Sai Tamhankar.

Did The Gamble Pay Off? At the box office, no. However, the film did manage to scrape together fairly decent reviews from critics at the time. Despite the critical nod, Black & White has virtually vanished from public memory and is rarely, if ever, mentioned when discussing Ghai's legendary filmography.

My Name Is Khan (2010)

Director: Karan Johar

While Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna could have technically made this list for being significantly darker than Johar's earlier feel-good spectacles, it still clung to his signature flexes of wealthy NRI families, glamorous (Manish Malhotra) wardrobes and extravagant song-and-dance routines.

My Name Is Khan was a completely different beast. KJo shocked audiences with an earnest, stripped-down exploration of Islamophobia in a post-9/11 world.

Yet, beneath the missing grandeur, it subtly retained the classic Karan Johar DNA. It was still an NRI family drama, it still anchored itself on a heartfelt central romance, and it delivered the iconic pairing of Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol, marking their final outing together under his direction.

Did The Gamble Pay Off? Undeniably.

My Name Is Khan is frequently hailed as Karan Johar's best movie, a claim I wholeheartedly support. It also stands as one of Shah Rukh Khan's most formidable performances. He is absolutely impressive as a Muslim man with Asperger's syndrome who embarks on a gruelling cross-country journey just to meet the US president and declare, 'My name is Khan, and I am not a terrorist.'

Thankfully for him, that President wasn't Trump.

Nadunisi Naaygal (2011)

Director: Gautham Vasudev Menon

Gautham Menon has masterfully navigated romantic dramas, coming-of-age tales and thrilling police procedurals. Yet, much like Bhansali, his entire filmography was tightly bound by one unmistakable element: chart-topping, unforgettable soundtracks.

Fresh off the success of Vinnaithaandi Varuvaayaa and its iconic A R Rahman album, Menon completely abandoned his musical safety net.

He shocked fans by helming Nadunisi Naaygal, a darkly disturbing, entirely songless psychological thriller about a psychopathic serial killer who sexually assaults and murders women.

Did The Gamble Pay Off? Not exactly. Nadunisi Naaygal proved far too disturbing for contemporary audiences, ultimately tanking at the box office. The overwhelmingly mixed critical reception did not help its case either.

While Menon wisely continued crafting gripping thrillers in the years that followed, he made sure to firmly reinstate his signature musical numbers and never again centred his narrative on a sexually violent protagonist.

Eega (2012)

Director: S S Rajamouli

Long before Baahubali and RRR made him a global phenomenon, S S Rajamouli was already an established visionary in Telugu cinema. However, his biggest blockbusters had largely relied on A-list superstars.

With Eega, he shattered that formula. The leading hero of this revenge saga was a tiny CGI housefly. Sure, it was the reincarnated soul of Nani's character.

But placing the entire emotional and commercial weight of a massive film on a CGI insect was a staggering risk for a director accustomed to working with heavyweights like Jr NTR, Ram Charan and Prabhas.

Did The Gamble Pay Off? Massively! Eega was a runaway blockbuster, transcending regional boundaries to win over Tamil, Malayalam and Hindi audiences.

More importantly, the sheer audacity and success of Eega and Magadheera gave studios the confidence to bankroll Rajamouli's grand vision for Baahubali. The rest, as they say, is cinematic history.

Mercury (2018)

Director: Karthik Subbaraj

In plain sight, Karthik Subbaraj is not a filmmaker bound by a single genre. He has effortlessly hopped from horror-comedy (Pizza) and gangster black comedy (Jigarthanda) to a dark feminist thriller (Iraivi) and a massive Rajinikanth potboiler (Petta).

Yet, despite this constant genre-hopping, Mercury sticks out as a wild outlier simply due to its extreme experimental nature.

It is a completely dialogue-free horror thriller featuring Prabhu Deva as an undead, murderous entity hunting down a group of hearing-impaired youngsters.

Did The Gamble Pay Off? Not quite. Despite possessing a brilliant conceptual hook and a bold experimental spirit, Mercury failed to resonate with both critics and the masses.

Unlike Iraivi, which underperformed theatrically but steadily amassed a passionate cult following, there is virtually zero cinematic chatter surrounding Mercury today.

Brahmastra Part 1 - Shiva (2022)

Director: Ayan Mukerji

Ayan Mukerji initially made his mark by crafting two highly enjoyable, coming-of-age romantic entertainers in Wake Up Sid and Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani. He then made Brahmastra, his ambitious entry into mytho-fantasy, that once again starred his trusted leading man, Ranbir Kapoor along with Alia Bhatt.

The movie also starred Amitabh Bachchan, Nagarjuna and Mouni Roy, with cameos from Shah Rukh Khan, Dimple Kapadia and Deepika Padukone.

Considered as one of the most expensive Hindi movies every made, Brahmastra was supposed to launch a universe of its own. Four years later, we are still waiting for at least one sequel to be launched.

Did The Gamble Pay Off? A mixed bag.

Despite earning praise for its visual effects, Brahmastra exposed Mukerji's glaring Achilles heel: An inability to effectively direct expensively mounted action spectacles. It still went on to perform decently at the box office, though, thanks to its exorbitant budget, wasn't hugely profitable.

The fact that it didn't perform as per expectations can be seen that the director jumped ship and went on to direct War 2 for a different cinematic universe bankrolled by a different studio. If Brahmastra was underwhelming, then War 2 was an absolute travesty!

Karam (2025)

Director: Vineeth Sreenivasan

One could argue that Thira (2013), a songless thriller starring Shobana and debutant Dhyan, was Vineeth Sreenivasan's first attempt at breaking away from his beloved feel-good genre.

However, Thira was only his third directorial outing. He subsequently churned out three more heart-warming entertainers, firmly cementing himself as the undisputed king of the feel-good space.

So, fans were understandably jolted when he suddenly pivoted to helm Karam, a high-octane action thriller featuring actor-producer Noble Babu Thomas in the lead.

Did The Gamble Pay Off? Absolutely not. Karam failed to impress both critics and audiences alike. The film drew heavy criticism for its sluggish, mediocre handling of action sequences and its plotline of human trafficking, a dark theme he was revisiting post-Thira.

Following this massive commercial and critical misfire, fans can rest assured that Vineeth will sprint right back to his comfortable zone: breezy, feel-good sagas set in Chennai, served with a heart-warming side-dish of thayir sadam.

Photographs curated by Manisha Kotian/Rediff