View source for Sriram Raghavan

{{Short description|Indian film director and screenwriter}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=July 2018}}
{{Infobox person
| name              = Sriram Raghavan
| image             = Sriram Raghavan at News 18 Reel Movie Awards 2019.jpg
| caption           = Raghavan in 2019
| birth_date        = {{birth date and age|1963|06|22|df=y}}
| birth_place       = [[Bombay]], [[Maharashtra]], India
| years_active      = 1987-present 
| occupation        = {{hlist|Film director|screenwriter}}
| alma_mater        =
| website           = 
| signature         =
| relatives           = [[Shridhar Raghavan]] (brother)
}}

'''Sriram Raghavan''' (born 22 June 1963) is an Indian film director and screenwriter who works in [[Hindi]] cinema. He is primarily considered an [[auteur]] of neo-noir action thrillers.

Raghavan made his directorial debut with ''[[Ek Hasina Thi (film)|Ek Hasina Thi]]'' (2004). He then went on to direct the critically acclaimed ''[[Johnny Gaddaar]]'' (2007), an adaptation of the 1962 French novel ''Les mystifiés'' by Alain Reynaud-Fourton;  followed by the action spy film ''[[Agent Vinod (2012 film)|Agent Vinod]]'' (2012) starring [[Saif Ali Khan]]; a critical and commercial failure. Raghavan's followup ''[[Badlapur (film)|Badlapur]]'' (2015), a film based on ''Death's Dark Abyss'' by [[Massimo Carlotto]] met with positive reviews and was a moderate commercial success at the box office.

Raghavan's prominence increased with ''[[Andhadhun]]'' (2018) which tells the story of a blind piano player who unwittingly becomes embroiled in the murder of a retired actor. The film received critical acclaim and was commercially successful. He is the recipient of several accolades, including two National film Awards and two [[Filmfare Awards]].

==Early life==
Raghavan was born in [[Bombay]] (Mumbai), [[Maharashtra]] in a Tamil [[Iyer]] [[Brahmin]] family to a botanist father and a film-enthusiast mother. He grew up in [[Pune]], where he did his schooling at the [[St. Vincent's High School]]. He also studied economics at [[Fergusson College]] in [[Pune]].

He is a graduate of [[Film and Television Institute of India]] (FTII), Pune.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rediff.com/movies/2004/jan/15sriram.htm|title=Urmila is not emotionally disturbed|website=Rediff}}</ref> [[Rajkumar Hirani]], one of his batch-mates, edited his diploma 
film, ''The Eight Column Affair'', which went on win the [[National Film Award (India)|National Film Award]] in 1987.<ref name=teh/> He is the brother of Sridhar Raghavan, a writer known for the television series, [[CID (Indian TV series)|C.I.D.]], and the 2019 action thriller, ''[[War (2019 film)|War]]''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://indianexpress.com/audio/express-interviews/bonus-qa-with-sriram-and-sridhar-raghavan/5570056/|title=BONUS: Q&A with Sriram and Sridhar Raghavan|date=5 February 2019}}</ref>

==Career==
Raghavan started his career before joining the FTII for [[Stardust (magazine)|Stardust]], but left since he wasn't interested in it. Post his FTII studies, he made a documentary ''Raman Raghav'', with [[Raghuvir Yadav]].
Later he worked as a writer for television soaps, writing many episodes of CID and Aahat, and also directed one episode of the [[Star Bestsellers]] called 'First Kill' Later, he met [[Ram Gopal Varma]], who liked his work in ''Raman Raghav'', and signed him up for the film ''[[Ek Hasina Thi (film)|Ek Hasina Thi]]'', a dark thriller starring [[Saif Ali Khan]] and [[Urmila Matondkar]].<ref>{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/your-week/story/20040202-film-review-ek-hasina-thi-starring-urmila-matondkar-saif-ali-khan-790626-2004-02-02|title=Film review: 'Ek Hasina Thi' starring Urmila Matondkar, Saif Ali Khan|author=Anupama Chopra |date=February 2, 2004 |magazine=India Today|language=en|access-date=2019-10-16}}</ref>
[[File:Johnny Gaddaar Music Launch.jpg|thumb|Raghavan along with composers Shankar–Ehsaan–Loy and actor Dharmendra at the music launch of ''Johnny Gaddaar'']]
Raghavan later went on to direct another thriller, ''[[Johnny Gaddaar]]'', which marked the debut of [[Neil Nitin Mukesh]]. The film was positively received by critics, though it didn't fare well at the box office; it has since been considered a cult classic.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://boxofficeindia.com/movie.php?movieid=247|title=Johnny Gaddaar - Movie - Box Office India|website=boxofficeindia.com|access-date=2019-10-16}}</ref> His third film was the spy thriller ''[[Agent Vinod (2012 film)|Agent Vinod]]'' which is not a remake of the [[Agent Vinod (1977 film)|1977 action film of the same name]]<ref name="AV">{{cite web |url=http://www.bollywoodhungama.com/features/2007/10/12/3121/index.html |title="Agent Vinod is not a remake of Rajshri film" – Sriram Raghavan |work=Bollywood Hungama |agency=IndiaFM News Bureau |date=12 October 2007 |access-date=31 May 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080521013428/http://www.bollywoodhungama.com/features/2007/10/12/3121/index.html |archive-date=21 May 2008 |url-status=dead}}</ref> Starring [[Saif Ali Khan]] as the titular character alongside [[Kareena Kapoor]], it received mixed reviews from critics and failed at the box office.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.boxofficeindia.com/movie.php?movieid=16 |title=Agent Vinod |publisher=Box Office India |access-date=30 November 2016}}</ref>

Raghavan next directed and wrote the revenge thriller ''[[Badlapur (film)|Badlapur]]'' starring [[Varun Dhawan]], [[Nawazuddin Siddiqui]], [[Huma Qureshi]], [[Yami Gautam]] which was released on 20 February 2015. Based on the novel ''Death's Dark Abyss'' by Italian writer [[Massimo Carlotto]], it received positive reviews from critics.<ref>{{cite web|last=IANS|title=Varun Dhawan: Playing an old man will be my toughest role|url=http://movies.ndtv.com/bollywood/varun-dhawan-playing-an-old-man-will-be-my-toughest-role-506305|publisher=NDTV|access-date=10 April 2014}}</ref><ref name="RT">{{cite web |url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/badlapur |title=Badlapur (2015) |website=Rotten Tomatoes |access-date=30 December 2017}}</ref> Sudhish Kamath from ''[[The Hindu]]'' wrote "Sriram Raghavan's latest is a fantastic return to form and the kind of cinema he revels in making: character-driven narratives with funny, dark, explosive situations, a realistic exploration of filmy tropes."<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/darkly-ambitious-and-very-well-made/article6916944.ece |title=Badlapur: Darkly ambitious, and very well made |first=Sudhish |last=Kamath |work=[[The Hindu]] |date=20 February 2015 |access-date=12 March 2015}}</ref> The film won six [[61st Filmfare Awards|Filmfare Awards]] including Best Film and Best Director. It was a moderate box office success, grossing over {{INRConvert|81.3|c}} worldwide.<ref name="gross">{{cite web |url=http://boxofficeindia.com/Details/art_detail/topworldwidegrossers2015#.VQFyz9KUcl8 |title=Top Worldwide Grossers 2015 |publisher=Box Office India |date=12 March 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150314182347/http://boxofficeindia.com/Details/art_detail/topworldwidegrossers2015 |archive-date=14 March 2015}}</ref><ref name=teh>{{cite web|title=Profile: Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang, But Slowly|url=http://www.tehelka.com/story_main39.asp?filename=hub070608kissbangslowly.asp|date=7 June 2008|publisher=[[Tehelka]] Magazine, Vol 5, Issue 22|access-date=11 January 2012|archive-date=5 November 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081105100441/http://www.tehelka.com/story_main39.asp?filename=hub070608kissbangslowly.asp|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Raghavan's next venture was the [[black comedy]] crime thriller ''[[Andhadhun]]'', starring [[Ayushmann Khurana]], [[Tabu (actress)|Tabu]], and [[Radhika Apte]], which released on 5 October 2018 to critical acclaim.<ref>{{cite news|title=Andhadhun box office collection Day 1: Ayushmann Khurrana film riding on positive reviews|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/box-office-collection/andhadhun-collection-day-1-ayushmann-khurrana-5388212/|newspaper=[[The Indian Express]]|date=6 October 2018|access-date=6 October 2018}}</ref> Raghavan saw ''L'Accordeur'' (''The Piano Tuner''), a 2010 French short film about a blind pianist, in 2013 at the recommendation of his friend, filmmaker [[Hemanth M Rao]] and was inspired by it. <ref name="gross"/><ref>{{Cite web |last=Kumar |first=S. Shiva |date=22 August 2019 |title='Andhadhun' inspired from French short film, reveals National Award-winning scriptwriter Hemanth Rao |url=https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/hemanth-rao-co-writers-for-the-national-award-winning-andhadhun-interview/article29221861.ece |website=The Hindu}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Kulkarni |first=Ronjita |date=1 November 2018 |title=Sriram Raghavan explains Andhadhun |work=Rediff.com |url=http://www.rediff.com/movies/report/sriram-raghavan-explains-andhadhun/20181101.htm |url-status=live |access-date=7 November 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181107161519/http://www.rediff.com/movies/report/sriram-raghavan-explains-andhadhun/20181101.htm |archive-date=7 November 2018}}</ref> In a positive review of the film, Sushant Mehta of [[India Today]] wrote, "Raghavan's ability to shock an entire cinema hall including the most immovable, emotionless fan coupled with his ability to make the audience laugh during these moments where your heart is in your mouth defines his unique brand of cinema".<ref>{{Cite news |last=Mehta |first=Sushant |date=4 October 2018 |title=Andhadhun Review: Ayushmann Khurrana-Radhika Apte film is deliciously dark |work=India Today |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/movies/reviews/story/andhadhun-review-ayushmann-khurrana-radhika-apte-film-is-deliciously-dark-1355675-2018-10-04 |url-status=live |access-date=17 November 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181006004422/https://www.indiatoday.in/movies/reviews/story/andhadhun-review-ayushmann-khurrana-radhika-apte-film-is-deliciously-dark-1355675-2018-10-04 |archive-date=6 October 2018}}</ref>
The film earned {{INRConvert|4.56|b}} worldwide, a majority of which came from the Chinese box office, to become his highest-grossing release and one of [[List of highest-grossing Indian films|Indian cinema's biggest grossers]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Top All Time All Format Worldwide Grossers - Andhadhun 13th|url=https://boxofficeindia.com/report-details.php?articleid=5012|website=Box Office India|date=16 May 2019|access-date=16 May 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Review: Badlapur is a dark, unflinching, fantastic film|url=http://www.rediff.com/movies/review/review-badlapur-is-a-dark-unflinching-fantastic-film/20150220.htm |publisher=[[Rediff]] |date=20 February 2015 | first=Raja | last=Sen | access-date=22 July 2018 }}</ref>

== Filmography ==
{| class=wikitable
! Year !! Film !! Notes
|-
|1987
|''The Eight Column Affair''|| Student film
|-
|1991
|''Raman Raghav: A City, A Killer''||
Documentary 
|-
|2004
|''[[Ek Hasina Thi (film)|Ek Hasina Thi]]''||
|-
|2007 
|''[[Johnny Gaddaar]]''||
|-
|2012
|''[[Agent Vinod (2012 film)|Agent Vinod]]''||
|-
|2015
| ''[[Badlapur (film)|Badlapur]]''||
|-
|2018
| ''[[Andhadhun]]''||
|-
|2024
| ''[[Merry Christmas (2023 Indian film)|Merry Christmas]]''|| [[Multiple-language version|Simultaneously shot]] in [[Tamil cinema|Tamil]]; Tamil debut 
|-
|2025
|{{pending film|Ikkis}}
|
|}

==Awards==
{| class=wikitable
! Film 
! Award 
! Category 
! Result
!class="unsortable" | {{abbr|Ref.|Reference(s)}}
|-
|''[[Johnny Gaddaar]]''
|[[53rd Filmfare Awards]]
|[[Filmfare Award for Best Screenplay|Best Screenplay]]
|{{nom}}
|<ref>{{cite news |title=Filmfare Awards Winners From 1953 to 2019 |url=https://www.filmfare.com/awards/filmfare-awards/winners |access-date=14 February 2020 |work=filmfare.com |language=en}}</ref>
|-
|rowspan=2| ''[[Badlapur (film)|Badlapur]]''
|rowspan=2| [[61st Filmfare Awards]]
|[[Filmfare Award for Best Film|Best Film]]
|{{nom}}
| rowspan=2| <ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.filmfare.com/news/nominations-for-the-61st-britannia-filmfare-awards-11809.html |title=Nominations for the 61st Britannia Filmfare Awards |publisher=filmfare.com |date=11 January 2016 |access-date=22 April 2018}}</ref>
|-
| [[Filmfare Award for Best Director|Best Director]] 
|{{nom}}
|-
|rowspan=17|''[[Andhadhun]]''
|rowspan=2|[[66th National Film Awards]]
|[[National Film Award for Best Screenplay|Best Adapted Screenplay]]
|{{won}}
|rowspan=2|<ref name="66thaward">{{cite press release|title=66th National Film Awards|url=https://dff.gov.in/images/News/66th_NFA_Results.pdf|publisher=Directorate of Film Festivals|access-date=11 August 2019|df=dmy-all}}</ref>
|-
|[[National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Hindi|Best Feature Film in Hindi]]
|{{won}}
|-
|rowspan=4|[[64th Filmfare Awards]]
|[[Filmfare Award for Best Film|Best Film]]
|{{nom}}
|rowspan=4|<ref name="2019 Awards">{{cite web|url=https://www.filmfare.com/news/bollywood/nominations-for-the-64th-vimal-filmfare-awards-2019_-32898-1.html|title=Nominations for the 64th Vimal Filmfare Awards 2019|work=filmfare.com|date=12 March 2019}}</ref><br/><ref>{{cite news|title=Winners of the 64th Vimal Filmfare Awards 2019|url=https://www.filmfare.com/news/bollywood/all-winners-of-the-64th-vimal-filmfare-awards-2019_-33004-3.html|date=23 March 2019|access-date=23 March 2019|work=[[Filmfare]]}}</ref>
|-
|[[Filmfare Award for Best Director|Best Director]]
|{{nom}}
|-
|[[Filmfare Critics Award for Best Film|Critics Best Film]]
|{{won}}
|-
|[[Filmfare Award for Best Screenplay|Best Screenplay]]
|{{won}}
|-
| rowspan="2" | [[24th Star Screen Awards]]
| [[Screen Award for Best Director|Best Director]]
|{{won}}
| rowspan="2" |<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/bollywood/star-screen-awards-2018-complete-winners-list-alia-bhatt-wins-best-actress-rajkummar-rao-and-ranveer-singh-are-best-actors/story-C9PF5a5ZeHzC77Dfp4UwAO.html |title=Star Screen Awards 2018 complete winners list |date=17 December 2018 |publisher=[[Hindustan Times]]}}</ref><br/><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/news/features/winners-star-screen-awards-2018/ |title=Winners of Star Screen Awards 2018 |date=16 December 2018 |website=[[Bollywood Hungama]]}}</ref>
|-
|[[Screen Award for Best Screenplay|Best Screenplay]]
|{{won}}
|-
|[[Zee Cine Awards]]
|Best Film Writing
|{{won}}
|<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.zeecineawards.com/zee-cinema-air-zee-cine-awards-2019-march/|title=Zee Cinema To Air Zee Cine Awards 2019 In March|date=2019-03-13|website=Zee Cine Awards|language=en-US|access-date=2019-03-17|archive-date=18 March 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190318155611/https://www.zeecineawards.com/zee-cinema-air-zee-cine-awards-2019-march/|url-status=dead}}</ref>
|-
|rowspan=4|[[20th IIFA Awards]]
|[[IIFA Award for Best Film|Best Film]]
|{{nom}}
|rowspan=4|<ref>{{cite web |title=IIFA Awards 2019: Book Your Tickets Now |url=https://www.iifa.com/blog/XXTxABEAAO61q1yH/iifa-awards-2019-book-your-tickets-now |website=IIFA |publisher=Wizcraft International Entertainment |access-date=16 September 2019}}</ref><br/><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.iifa.com/collection/XU2KexEAAD2Eq3XC/undefined |title=IIFA - International Indian Film Academy |website=www.iifa.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190820083805/https://www.iifa.com/collection/XU2KexEAAD2Eq3XC/undefined |archive-date=2019-08-20}} </ref><br/><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/movies/bollywood/story/iifa-2019-full-winners-list-alia-bhatt-s-raazi-wins-big-1600669-2019-09-19|title=IIFA 2019 full winners list: Alia Bhatt's Raazi wins big|date=19 September 2019 }}</ref>
|-
|[[IIFA Award for Best Director|Best Director]]
|{{won}}
|-
|[[IIFA Award for Best Story|Best Story]]
|{{won}}
|-
|[[IIFA Award for Best Screenplay|Best Screenplay]]
|{{won}}
|-
|[[:id:Festival Film Bandung 2019|2019 Bandung Film Festival]]
||Honorable Imported Films
|{{won}}
|<ref>{{Cite news|title=Ridwan Kamil Hopes Bandung Film Festival to Become a World Class Event|url=https://www.jabarprov.go.id/En/index.php/news/8920/2019/11/23/Ridwan-Kamil-Hopes-Bandung-Film-Festival-to-Become-a-World-Class-Event|date=November 23, 2019}}</ref>
|-
|rowspan=2|Asian Summer Film Festival (Festival Nits de cinema oriental de Vic)
|Best Movie 
|{{won}}
|rowspan=2|<ref>{{cite web|url=https://cinemaoriental.com/en/el-jurat-i-el-public-del-festival-nits-premien-la-varietat-de-la-programacio/|title=THE JURY AND THE AUDIENCE OF THE ASIAN SUMMER FILM FESTIVAL AWARD THE DIVERSITY OF THE FESTIVAL PROGRAMME|date=21 July 2019 |access-date=22 July 2020}}</ref>
|-
|Special Jury Prize
|{{won}}
|-
|1st Diorama International Film Festival & Market
|Golden Sparrow for Best Indian Feature Film 
|{{won}}
|<ref>{{cite web |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/seven-day-film-festival-comes-to-an-end-in-delhi/articleshow/67722754.cms|title=Seven Day film festival comes to an end in Delhi|work=Times of India|access-date=9 December 2023|date=28 January 2019}}</ref>
|}

==References==
<References/>

==External links==
*{{IMDb name|1437189}}
* {{cite news |title=Interview (2008) |url=http://ibnlive.in.com/news/todays-films-lack-innocence-sriram-raghavan/76222-8.html |publisher=CNN-IBN |access-date=11 January 2012 |archive-date=8 August 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130808181703/http://ibnlive.in.com/news/todays-films-lack-innocence-sriram-raghavan/76222-8.html |url-status=dead }}

{{National Film Award Best Screenplay}}
{{IIFAAwardBestDirector}}
{{ScreenAwardBestDirector}}
{{Filmfare Award for Best Screenplay}}
{{Sriram Raghavan}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Raghavan, Sriram}}
[[Category:1963 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Artists from Pune]]
[[Category:Film and Television Institute of India alumni]]
[[Category:Indian male screenwriters]]
[[Category:Hindi-language film directors]]
[[Category:Filmfare Awards winners]]
[[Category:Screen Awards winners]]
[[Category:Indian Tamil people]]
[[Category:Film directors from Maharashtra]]
[[Category:21st-century Indian people]]
[[Category:Indian experimental filmmakers]]
[[Category:Best Adapted Screenplay National Film Award winners]]
[[Category:International Indian Film Academy Awards winners]]