Mr & Mrs Director

A look at director couples in the film industry, who have created magic on the big screen together as well as individually.

Kiran Rao-Aamir Khan

She was an assistant director on the sets of Lagaan. He was the lead actor. Long after the film was released, they continued to be friends. Soon after Khan divorced his wife, he began dating Rao. They married in December, 2005. Khan made his directorial debut with Taare Zameen Par and Rao with Dhobi Ghat. This couple, known for their refined sense of cinema, have also produced movies such as Delhi Belly and Peepli (Live) together. Even Khan's television debut, Satyamev Jayate, was in partnership with Rao, who played a key role in the research. With a new entrant in the family, their son Azad, Rao has taken a break from filmmaking.

Deepa Bhatia-Amole Gupte

She is among the most competent editors in the industry and he is an established writer-director of films such as Taare Zameen Par and Stanley Ka Dabba. Bhatia and Gupta share a passion for socially relevant films and they also make documentaries on social issues. One such project, also Bhatia's directorial debut, Nero's Guests, is an award-winning documentary. Their son Partho recently won awards for his role in Stanley Ka Dabba.

Gauri Shinde-R Balki

Hindi cinema's latest power couple, Gauri Shinde and R Balki have proved that Hindi films need not be OTT to be commercially and critically successful. While his wife of five years chose to give up her career in the advertising industry, Balki continues to head a leading advertising agency. Having directed Amitabh Bachchan in Cheeni Kum and Paa, Balki is a sought-after filmmaker. This, in turn, made Shinde's directorial debut a challenge. A week after the release of English Vinglish, however, she is credited with aiding Sridevi's comeback in Hindi films.

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