The Filmfare Best Director Award is one of the main awards given by the annual Filmfare Awards to recognise directors working in Hindi cinema. It was first presented in 1954 in the inaugural year.
Superlatives Achievement Director Record Most awards Bimal Roy 7 Most nominations Yash Chopra 12 Most consecutive wins Bimal Roy 3 Most nominations without a Win Mahesh Bhatt 6 Youngest winner Aditya Chopra age 24 Oldest winner Vidhu Vinod Chopra age 71
Bimal Roy has the record of winning most awards (7) and the distinction of winning the award thrice in a row, on 2 separate occasions (1954–1956 and 1959–1961). He also won the award whenever he was nominated (7/7). Sanjay Leela Bhansali has received the award 5 times, Yash Chopra and Raj Kapoor has received the award 4 times each.
Yash Chopra received 12 nominations, Sanjay Leela Bhansali has received 8 nominations, while Raj Kapoor has received 6 nominations. Mahesh Bhatt was nominated thrice in a row (1984–1986). However, he hasn't received any award even after having been nominated 6 times. Also, no director has ever won if one has been nominated twice in the same year – Gulzar in 1974 (for Achanak and Koshish), Basu Chatterjee in 1977 (for Chhoti Si Baat and Chitchor) and Hrishikesh Mukherjee in 1980 (for Gol Maal and Jurmana).
Sai Paranjpye was the first of 5 women to have won this award, the second being Zoya Akhtar, the third being Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari, the fourth being Meghna Gulzar and the fifth being Kiran Rao. Sai Paranjpye won it for Sparsh in 1985. Paranjpye had earlier been nominated for Chashme Buddoor in 1982. Zoya Akhtar won it for Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara in 2012. Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari won it for Bareilly Ki Barfi in 2018 and Meghna Gulzar won it in for Raazi in 2019, after previously being nominated in 2016 for Talvar. Akhtar won the award again for Gully Boy in 2020, thus becoming the only woman to win the award twice. Kiran Rao won the award for Laapataa Ladies in 2025. Other women directors to have been nominated are Mira Nair for Salaam Bombay! in 1990, Farah Khan for Main Hoon Na in 2005 and for Om Shanti Om in 2008, Gauri Shinde for English Vinglish in 2013 and Seema Pahwa for Ramprasad Ki Tehrvi in 2022.
Rajkumar Santoshi remains the only director to have won the award for his first two films – for Ghayal in 1991 and for Damini in 1994.
Nitesh Tiwari and Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari are the only married couple to win the award. Additionally, they won the award in consecutive years – the former won the award for Dangal in 2017 and the latter won the award for Bareilly Ki Barfi in 2018.
Only once have two siblings been nominated in the same year; Zoya Akhtar for Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara and Farhan Akhtar for Don 2 in 2012, with Zoya winning the category.
Multiple wins and nominations The following Directors have received multiple Best Director nominations. The list is sorted by the number of total awards (with the number of total nominations listed in parentheses).
7 : Bimal Roy (7) 5 : Sanjay Leela Bhansali (8) 4 : Yash Chopra (12) 4 : Raj Kapoor (6) 2 : Rakesh Roshan (5) 2 : Karan Johar (6) 2 : Rajkumar Santoshi (5) 2 : Vidhu Vinod Chopra (4) 2 : Ashutosh Gowariker (3) 2 : Manoj Kumar (3) 2 : Zoya Akhtar (2) 2 : Govind Nihalani (2) 2 : Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra (2) 1 : Subhash Ghai (6) 1 : Gulzar (6) 1 : B. R. Chopra (5) 1 : Rajkumar Hirani (5) 1 : Mansoor Khan (4) 1 : Shyam Benegal (3) 1 : Basu Chatterjee (3) 1 : Aditya Chopra (3) 1 : Sohanlal Kanwar (3) 1 : Sooraj Barjatya (3) 1 : Mukul S. Anand (2) 1 : J. P. Dutta (2) 1 : Shekhar Kapur (2) 1 : Mehboob Khan (2) 1 : Sai Paranjpye (2) 1 : Ramanand Sagar (2) 1 : Asit Sen (2) 1 : V. Shantaram (2) 1 : Meghna Gulzar (2) 1 : Nitesh Tiwari (2) 1 : Kunal Kohli (1) 1 : Sujoy Ghosh (1) 1 : Aamir Khan (1) 1 : Vikas Bahl (1) 1 : Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari (1) 1 : Om Raut (1) 1 : Vijay Anand (1) 1 : Abrar Alvi (1) 1 : Satyajit Ray (1) 1 : Muzaffar Ali (1) 1 : Kiran Rao (1) 0 : Mahesh Bhatt (6) 0 : Hrishikesh Mukherjee (5) 0 : Ram Gopal Varma (5) 0 : Shoojit Sircar (4) 0 : Ramesh Sippy (3) 0 : Imtiaz Ali (3) 0 : Anurag Kashyap (3) 0 : Anurag Basu (3) 0 : Vishal Bhardwaj (3) 0 : Ayan Mukerji (3) 0 : Farhan Akhtar (3) 0 : Shakti Samanta (3) 0 : Prakash Mehra (2) 0 : Indra Kumar (2) 0 : Rajiv Rai (2) 0 : Dharmesh Darshan (2) 0 : Abbas–Mustan (2) 0 : Abhishek Kapoor (2) 0 : Aanand L. Rai (2) 0 : Farah Khan (2) 0 : Kabir Khan (2) 0 : Madhur Bhandarkar (2) 0 : Sriram Raghavan (2) 0 : L. V. Prasad (2) 0 : Raj Khosla (2) 0 : David Dhawan (2) 0 : Vikram Bhatt (2) 0 : Rahul Rawail (2) 0 : Siddharth Anand (2) 0 : Anees Bazmee (2) 0 : Amar Kaushik (2)
Winners and nominees In the list below, the winner of the award for each year is shown first, followed by the other nominees. The films are listed by the years when the award was presented. The announcing of nominations became regular after 1959.
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1950s Year Director(s) Film 1954 Do Bigha Zamin No Nominees 1955 Parineeta No Nominees 1956 Biraj Bahu No Nominees 1957 V. Shantaram Jhanak Jhanak Payal Baaje No Nominees 1958 Mother India No Nominees 1959 MadhumatiSadhnaTalaaq
1960s Year Director(s) Film 1960 SujataChoti BahenV. ShantaramNavrang 1961 ParakhMughal-e-AzamDil Apna Aur Preet Parai 1962 KanoonNitin BoseGunga JumnaRadhu Karmakar Jis Desh Men Ganga Behti Hai 1963 Abrar Alvi Sahib Bibi Aur GhulamBiren NagBees Saal BaadMehboob Khan Son of India 1964 Bimal Roy BandiniB. R. ChopraGumrahC. V. Sridhar Dil Ek Mandir 1965 Raj Kapoor SangamKhwaja Ahmad AbbasShehar Aur SapnaSatyen BoseDosti 1966 Yash Chopra WaqtChetan AnandHaqeeqatRamanand SagarArzoo 1967 Vijay Anand GuideAsit SenMamtaHrishikesh MukherjeeAnupama 1968 Manoj Kumar UpkarA. Bhimsingh MehrbanA. Subba RaoMilan 1969 Ramanand Sagar AnkhenBhappi SonieBrahmachariRam MaheshwariNeel Kamal
1970s Year Director(s) Film 1970 Yash Chopra IttefaqJeene Ki RaahShakti SamantaAradhana 1971 Asit Sen Safar Raj KhoslaDo RaasteSohanlal KanwarPehchan 1972 Raj Kapoor Mera Naam Joker Hrishikesh MukherjeeAnandShakti SamantaKati Patang 1973 Sohanlal Kanwar Be-Imaan Kamal AmrohiPakeezahManoj KumarShor 1974 Yash Chopra Daag GulzarAchanakGulzarKoshishRaj KapoorBobbyRajendra Bhatia Aaj Ki Taaza Khabar 1975 Manoj Kumar Roti Kapda Aur Makaan Anil Ganguly Kora Kagaz Basu Bhattacharya Avishkaar M. S. Sathyu Garm Hava Shyam Benegal Ankur 1976 Yash Chopra Deewaar Gulzar Aandhi Ramesh Sippy Sholay Shakti Samanta Amanush Sohanlal Kanwar Sanyasi 1977 Gulzar Mausam Basu Chatterjee Chhoti Si Baat Basu Chatterjee Chitchor Rajkumar Kohli Nagin Yash Chopra Kabhi Kabhie 1978 Basu Chatterjee Swami Asrani Chala Murari Hero Banne Bhimsain Gharaonda Gulzar Kinara Manmohan Desai Amar Akbar Anthony 1979 Satyajit Ray Shatranj Ke Khilari Prakash Mehra Muqaddar Ka Sikandar Raj Kapoor Satyam Shivam Sundaram Raj Khosla Main Tulsi Tere Aangan Ki Yash Chopra Trishul
1980s Year Director(s) Film 1980 Shyam Benegal Junoon Hrishikesh Mukherjee Gol Maal Hrishikesh Mukherjee Jurmana Manmohan Krishna Noorie Yash Chopra Kaala Patthar 1981 Govind Nihalani Aakrosh B. R. Chopra Insaaf Ka Tarazu Esmayeel Shroff Thodisi Bewafaii Hrishikesh Mukherjee Khubsoorat J. Om Prakash Aasha 1982 Muzaffar Ali Umrao Jaan K. Balachander Ek Duuje Ke Liye Rabindra Dharamraj Chakra Ramesh Talwar Baseraa Sai Paranjpye Chashme Buddoor Shyam Benegal Kalyug 1983 Raj Kapoor Prem Rog B. R. Chopra Nikaah Ramesh Sippy Shakti Sagar Sarhadi Bazaar Subhash Ghai Vidhaata 1984 Govind Nihalani Ardh Satya Mahesh Bhatt Arth Mohan Kumar Avtaar Rahul Rawail Betaab Shekhar Kapur Masoom 1985 Sai Paranjpye Sparsh Kundan Shah Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro Mahesh Bhatt Saaransh Prakash Mehra Sharaabi Ravi Chopra Aaj Ki Awaaz 1986 Raj Kapoor Ram Teri Ganga Maili Mahesh Bhatt Janam Rahul Rawail Arjun Ramesh Sippy Saagar 1987 No Award 1988 No Award 1989 Mansoor Khan Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak N. Chandra Tezaab Rakesh Roshan Khoon Bhari Maang
1990s Year Director(s) Film 1990 Vidhu Vinod Chopra Parinda Mira Nair Salaam Bombay! Sooraj Barjatya Maine Pyar Kiya Subhash Ghai Ram Lakhan Yash Chopra Chandni 1991 Rajkumar Santoshi Ghayal Mahesh Bhatt Aashiqui Mukul Anand Agneepath Ravi Raja Pinisetty Pratibandh 1992 Subhash Ghai Saudagar Lawrence D'Souza Saajan Mahesh Bhatt Dil Hai Ke Manta Nahin Randhir Kapoor Henna Yash Chopra Lamhe 1993 Mukul S. Anand Khuda Gawah Indra Kumar Beta Mansoor Khan Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar 1994 Rajkumar Santoshi Damini David Dhawan Aankhen Mahesh Bhatt Hum Hain Rahi Pyar Ke Subhash Ghai Khalnayak Yash Chopra Darr 1995 Sooraj Barjatya Hum Aapke Hain Koun..! Mehul Kumar Krantiveer Rajiv Rai Mohra Rajkumar Santoshi Andaz Apna Apna Vidhu Vinod Chopra 1942: A Love Story 1996 Aditya Chopra Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge Indra Kumar Raja Mansoor Khan Akele Hum Akele Tum Rakesh Roshan Karan Arjun Ram Gopal Varma Rangeela 1997 Shekhar Kapur Bandit Queen Dharmesh Darshan Raja Hindustani Gulzar Maachis Partho Ghosh Agni Sakshi Rajkumar Santoshi Ghatak 1998 J. P. Dutta Border Priyadarshan Virasat Rajiv Rai Gupt Subhash Ghai Pardes Yash Chopra Dil To Pagal Hai 1999 Karan Johar Kuch Kuch Hota Hai Abbas–Mustan Soldier Ram Gopal Varma Satya Sohail Khan Pyaar Kiya To Darna Kya Vikram Bhatt Ghulam
2000s Year Director(s) Film 2000 Sanjay Leela Bhansali Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam David Dhawan Biwi No.1 John Matthew Matthan Sarfarosh Mahesh Manjrekar Vaastav Subhash Ghai Taal 2001 Rakesh Roshan Kaho Naa... Pyaar Hai Aditya Chopra Mohabbatein Dharmesh Darshan Dhadkan Mansoor Khan Josh Vidhu Vinod Chopra Mission Kashmir 2002 Ashutosh Gowariker Lagaan Anil Sharma Gadar: Ek Prem Katha Farhan Akhtar Dil Chahta Hai Karan Johar Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham Santosh Sivan Asoka 2003 Sanjay Leela Bhansali Devdas Abbas–Mustan Humraaz Ram Gopal Varma Company Sanjay Gupta Kaante Vikram Bhatt Raaz 2004 Rakesh Roshan Koi... Mil Gaya J. P. Dutta LOC: Kargil Nikhil Advani Kal Ho Naa Ho Rajkumar Hirani Munna Bhai M.B.B.S. Ram Gopal Varma Bhoot Satish Kaushik Tere Naam 2005 Kunal Kohli Hum Tum Ashutosh Gowariker Swades Farah Khan Main Hoon Na Farhan Akhtar Lakshya Rajkumar Santoshi Khakee Yash Chopra Veer-Zaara 2006 Sanjay Leela Bhansali Black Madhur Bhandarkar Page 3 Nagesh Kukunoor Iqbal Pradeep Sarkar Parineeta Ram Gopal Varma Sarkar 2007 Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra Rang De Basanti Karan Johar Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna Rajkumar Hirani Lage Raho Munna Bhai Rakesh Roshan Krrish Sanjay Gadhvi Dhoom 2 Vishal Bhardwaj Omkara 2008 Aamir Khan Taare Zameen Par Anurag Basu Life in a... Metro Farah Khan Om Shanti Om Imtiaz Ali Jab We Met Mani Ratnam Guru Shimit Amin Chak De! India 2009 Ashutosh Gowariker Jodhaa Akbar A. R. Murugadoss Ghajini Abhishek Kapoor Rock On!! Aditya Chopra Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi Madhur Bhandarkar Fashion Neeraj Pandey A Wednesday!
2010s