The year 2022 witnessed the emergence of a string of critically and commercially successful films directed and headlined by a handful of individuals. Here are five Indian actor-directors who have had a successful run in 2022.
Rishab Shetty - Kantara (Kannada)
The success of Kantara has propelled actor-director Rishab Shetty into nationwide fame. The Kannada-language action thriller film has captured the imagination of the audience with its culturally rooted storyline.
Rishab made his acting debut with a small role in Pawan Kumar’s 2013 film Lucia. The following year, he played an essential role in Rakshit Shetty’s Ulidavaru Kandante before bagging a leading role in 2019’s Bell Bottom. He received critical acclaim for his role in 2021’s Garuda Gamana Vrishabha Vahana.
Rishab started to work as a filmmaker with the crime thriller Ricky in 2016, followed by the romcom Kirik Party. The actor went on to win the National Film Award for Best Children’s Film for 2018’s Sarkari Hi. Pra. Shaale.
Pradeep Ranganathan - Love Today (Tamil)
Tamil romantic comedy Love Today grossed over Rs 100 crore at the box office.
Directed by Pradeep Ranganathan, who also played the male lead, the movie explores the meaning of love in today’s time.
Pradeep began his career by making short films and running a successful YouTube channel called MorattuSingle. Love Today was developed from his earlier short film App(a) Lock. He made his feature film debut with 2019’s Comali starring Jayam Ravi, Kajal Aggarwal, Yogi Babu, Samyuktha Hegde and K. S. Ravikumar. Love Today was his second feature.
Pradeep started acting in several short films for his YouTube channel and other YouTube content. He made his acting debut in his first feature film Comali, where the actor-director played the role of auto-driver Joseph in a cameo appearance.
MG Srinivas - Old Monk (Kannada)
Old Monk is a Kannada-language romantic comedy film written and directed by MG Srinivas, who also acted in the lead role.
Srinivas’s first rendezvous with the entertainment industry was as an RJ. He directed and acted in several short films. After making his directorial debut with 2013’s political satire Topiwala, Srinivas directed and played the lead in films like Srinivasa Kalyana and Birbal Trilogy Case 1: Finding Vajramuni
Apart from his own directorial films, Srinivas has also acted in 2019’s Ranganayaki, which was helmed by Dayal Padmanabhan.
Prithviraj Sukumaran - Bro Daddy (Malayalam)
Malayalam star Prithviraj Sukumaran’s second directorial venture Bro Daddy was released directly on Disney+Hotstar on January 26, 2022. The comedy-drama stars Mohanlal and Prithviraj Sukumaran in lead roles alongside Lalu Alex, Unni Mukundan, Meena, Kalyani Priyadarshan, Kaniha and Jagadish.
Prithviraj made his acting debut in 2002 with Nandanam. However, it was released after his second work, Nakshathrakkannulla Rajakumaran Avanundoru Rajakumari. Since then, he has acted in more than 100 films in several languages.
The 2019 Malayalam-language political action thriller Lucifer is Prithviraj’s directorial debut. Starring Mohanlal in the lead role, the movie also features Vivek Oberoi, Manju Warrier, Tovino Thomas, Indrajith Sukumaran and Prithviraj Sukumaran. It went on to become one of the highest-grossing Malayalam films of all time.
R. Madhavan - Rocketry: The Nambi Effect (Tamil)
This 2022 bilingual biographical drama film written, produced and directed by R. Madhavan is based on the life of Nambi Narayanan, a scientist at the Indian Space Research Organisation who was accused in the ISRO espionage case and later exonerated. The film received favourable reviews from critics.
Madhavan started his acting career in the Hindi Television industry in the early 1990s. However, his first film appearance came in a supporting role in Fred Olen Ray’s 1997 English film Inferno.
Madhavan’s first major role came in Mani Ratnam’s Tamil-language romantic film Alaipayuthey in 2000. Since then, he has appeared in several hit films like Rehnaa Hai Terre Dil Mein, Kannathil Muthamittal, Rang De Basanti, 3 Idiots, Evano Oruvan, Yavarum Nalam, Tanu Weds Manu and Vikram Vedha.
