Birth Date: 04 Aug, 1965, Age (59)

Occupation : Director, Producer, Lyricist, Composer

Filmfare Awards : 1

National Awards : 7

Vishal Bhardwaj

Vishal Bhardwaj is an Indian film director, screenwriter, producer, music composer and playback singer. He is known for his work in Hindi cinema and is the recipient of a Filmfare Award and seven National Film Awards in four categories.

Bhardwaj made his debut as a music composer with the children's film Abhay (The Fearless) (1995), and received wider recognition with his compositions in Gulzar's Maachis (1996). He received the Filmfare RD Burman Award for New Music Talent for the latter. He went on to compose music for the films Satya (1998) and Godmother (1999). For the latter, he garnered the National Film Award for Best Music Direction. Bhardwaj made his directorial debut with the children's film Makdee (2002), for which he also composed the music. He garnered critical acclaim and several accolades for writing and directing the Indian adaptations of three tragedies by William Shakespeare: Maqbool (2003) from Macbeth, Omkara (2006) from Othello, and Haider (2014) from Hamlet. He has also directed the caper thriller Kaminey, the black comedy 7 Khoon Maaf (2011), and the satire Matru Ki Bijlee Ka Mandola (2013).

In 1995, Bhardwaj made his debut as a music composer for the children's film Abhay (The Fearless). He then went on to compose music for Fauji (1995), and Sanshodhan (1996). In 1996, he served as the music director for Gulzar's Maachis (1996), for which he received the Filmfare RD Burman Award for New Music Talent. The film depicted the transformation of boys into terrorists during the Punjab insurgency in Punjab in the 1980s. The soundtrack composed by Bhardwaj became an anthem for the politically restive college youth at that time

In 1997, Bhardwaj won the Filmfare RD Burman Award for New Music Talent for Maachis. He later won the National Film Award for Best Music Direction for Godmother. He then went on to win two consecutive awards: The Blue Umbrella, which won the National Film Award for Best Children's Film,[ and National Film Award – Special Jury Award for Omkara. Bhardwaj got two Filmfare nominations for Kaminey in Best Director and Best Music Director categories. He won his second National Film Award for Best Music Direction, for his production venture Ishqiya.[18] At the 5th Mirchi Music Awards, he was awarded the Royal Stag Make It Large Award.