Raj Kanwar – Bollywood director famous for his love triangles like Deewana, Ladla, Jeet, Judaai etc

Raj Kanwar (1961 – 2012) was a very successful Bollywood director and screenwriter who made a series of musical hits in the 1990s. He is best remembered for his debut flick, Deewana, which became the perfect launch pad for Shah Rukh Khan, who later turned a huge star. He directed many hit love triangles, especially in the 1990s such as Deewana, Ladla, Jeet, Judaai etc. Har Dil Jo Pyar Karega, Andaaz etc are a few more hit love triangles which he made later. Jaan (1996), Daag: The Fire (1999) and Badal (2000) are other commercial hits of Kanwar.

Raj Kanwar was initially associated with Delhi theatre before he forayed into films. Later he moved to Mumbai, and worked as an assistant under Shekhar Kapur and Raj Kumar Santoshi in the late 1980s and early 1990s. After the huge success of his debut flick, Deewana, there was no turning back. His second release, Laadla was also a huge hit. The director had a special interest in weaving love triangles, giving importance to drama and melodious music. Most of the movies belonging to this genre remained successful. However with early 2000s, his films started to flop at box office. Films like Humko Deewana Kar Gaye, Dhaai Akshar Prem Ke, Ab Ke Baras etc flopped at box office.

Other memorable movies of Raj Kanwar are Itihaas, Humko Deewana Kar Gaye, Dhaai Akshar Prem Ke, Ab Ke Baras, Kartavya etc. He co-scripted a few movies aside Jainendra Jain. He wrote story and co-scripted movies like Humko Deewana Kar Gaye, Andaaz, Jeet, Itihaas, Daag, Badal and Dhai Akshar Prem Ke. In 1997 he turned a producer with Itihaas and also co-produced a few of his directorial ventures. Except Daag and Itihaas, majority of them were flops.  He was only 51 when he died due to kidney ailments in Singapore in 2010. His last film, Sadiyaan was released the same year.

Raj Kanwar – Some interesting and less-known facts

1. Though Shah Rukh Khan (till then known as a television actor) signed a series of movies, Raj Kanwar’s debut flick, Deewana had the first theatre release. Thus the first romantic song of King Khan’s career, whom we call ‘King of romance’ – Aisi Deewanagi was shot by Kanwar.

2. The second lead role of Deewana was initially offered to many actors including Anil Kapoor and Govinda, who rejected the role. Due to creative indifferences when Armaan Kohli walked out of the project, the role was offered to SRK who was in a deliberate need for a break. Though he appears after film interval, he walked away with Filmfare best debutant award trophy.

3. He launched year 2000’s beauty pageant winners – Lara Dutta and Priyanka Chopra in a single film opposite Akshay Kumar, Andaaz released in 2002. The actresses shared Filmfare trophy for best debut (female). Earlier actress Divya Bharati also bagged the debutant trophy for Kanwar’s movie, Deewana (though not her first Bollywood film).

4. Among actors he regularly worked with Ajay Devgan, Anil Kapoor, Salman Khan, Sridevi, Twinkle Khanna etc. He has worked with Raveena Tandon, Tabu, Shilpa Shetty, Sunny Deol, Bobby Deol, Sanjay Dutt, Akshay Kumar, Abhishek Bachchan, Aishwarya Rai, Rani Mukerji, Preity Zinta, Urmila, Mahima Chaudhry etc. He worked with almost all leading Bollywood stars of 1990s and early 2000s.

5. The first movie of real life couple – Abhishek Bachchan & Aishwarya Rai together, Dhai Akshar Pyar Ke (2001) was directed by Raj Kanwar.

6. Sonakshi Sinha’s brother Luv Sinha marked his screen debut through the director’s last movie, Sadiyaan. The movie also marked Bollywood debut of British Asian actress Feryna Wazheir.

7. He launched actors Amrita Rao and Arya Babbar through the movie based on the theme of incarnation, Ab Ke Baras. The movie was a flop.

8. There were rumours that there was a drift between Shah Rukh Khan and Raj Kanwar. Sad part is that after their debut flick Deewana, they never worked together. Truth is that, within a few years SRK established as the biggest star of Bollywood, not affordable in Kanwar’s canvas.

9. The lead role of Ladla was initially offered to Divya Bharti, with whom he did Deewana earlier. A few scenes were shot too. After the shocking demise of the actress, Sri Devi was signed for the role, because of same features. (Kartavya was yet another film where Juhi Chawla was replaced following Divya’s death, though 30% shooting was done.) Years later when Sridevi’s mysterious death shocked everyone, the movie Ladla and actress Divya Bharti came into discussion once again. However the director was no more.

10. His son Karan Raj Kanwar is now a Bollywood film producer. He now owns the family banner, Inderjit Films, which has been producing films since late 1990s.

11. He directed Sridevi in Judaai before she took sabbatical for around 15 years.