The Producers Guild Film Award for Best Debut Director (previously known as the Apsara Award for Best Debut Director) is given by the producers of the film and television guild as part of its annual award ceremony for

Hindi film Hindi cinema, popularly known as Bollywood and formerly as Bombay cinema, refers to the film industry based in Mumbai, engaged in production of motion pictures in Hindi language. The popular term Bollywood, is a portmanteau of "Bombay" (fo ...

s, to recognise the work of new directors. Following its inception in 2004, no one was awarded in 2005 and from 2007-09.

Winners

2000s

* 2004

Chandraprakash Dwivedi Dr. Chandraprakash Dwivedi is an Indian actor, film director and screenwriter, who is best known for directing the 1991 television epic ''Chanakya'' in which he also played the title role of the political strategist Chanakya and an inspiratio ...

– '' Pinjar'',

Nikhil Advani Nikhil Suresh Advani (born 28 April 1971) is an Indian film and television director, writer and producer who works in Hindi cinema. He along with his sister, Monisha Advani and Madhu Bhojwani, co-founded the entertainment company Emmay Enterta ...

– ''

Kal Ho Naa Ho ''Kal Ho Naa Ho'' (, ), also abbreviated as ''KHNH'', is a 2003 Indian Hindi-language romantic comedy drama film directed by Nikhil Advani, written by Karan Johar with dialogue by Niranjan Iyengar, and produced by Yash Johar. The film stars Ja ...

'' and

Rajkumar Hirani Rajkumar Hirani (born 20 November 1962), also called Raju Hirani, is an Indian filmmaker, director, producer and editor known for his works in Hindi films. He is the recipient of several accolades, including three National Film Awards and eleve ...

– ''

Munna Bhai M.B.B.S. ''Munna Bhai M.B.B.S.'' () is a 2003 Indian Hindi-language comedy drama film written and directed by Rajkumar Hirani (in his directorial debut) and produced by Vidhu Vinod Chopra. It was the first installment of '' Munna Bhai series''. Releas ...

'' * 2005
''No award'' * 2006

Pradeep Sarkar Pradeep Sarkar (born 30 April 1955) is a writer and director who works in Bollywood. He began his career with Vinod Chopra Productions, the production company of director and producer Vidhu Vinod Chopra. Personal life From a young boy lis ...

– '' Parineeta'' * 2007
''No award'' * 2008
''No award'' * 2009
''No award''

2010s

* 2010

Ayan Mukerji Ayan Mukerji (born 15 August 1983) is an Indian film director, screenwriter and producer who works in Hindi films. Mukerji made his directorial debut at the age of 26 with the coming-of-age comedy ''Wake Up Sid'' (2009). The film opened to stron ...

– ''

Wake Up Sid ''Wake Up Sid'' is a 2009 Indian Hindi-language coming-of-age comedy-drama film written and directed by Ayan Mukerji and produced by Hiroo Yash Johar and Karan Johar under Dharma Productions, with UTV Motion Pictures as distributor and visua ...

'' * 2011

Maneesh Sharma Maneesh Sharma is an Indian people, Indian film director, producer and screenwriter who works in Hindi cinema. Early life and education Born and raised in Delhi, where he lived in various parts of the city, including Pitam Pura, Maneesh did hi ...

– ''

Band Baaja Baaraat ''Band Baaja Baaraat'' (; also known as ''Wedding Planners'') is a 2010 Indian Hindi-language romantic comedy film directed by Maneesh Sharma in his directorial debut from a screenplay by Habib Faisal, and produced by Aditya Chopra for Yash Ra ...

'' * 2012
''No award'' * 2013

Gauri Shinde Gauri Shinde (born 6 July 1974) is an Indian film director and screenwriter. Shinde made her directional debut with the highly acclaimed ''English Vinglish'' (2012), which marked the comeback of actress Sridevi. Shinde featured in the ''Financ ...

– ''

English Vinglish ''English Vinglish'' is a 2012 Indian Hindi-language comedy-drama film written and directed by Gauri Shinde. The film stars Sridevi as Shashi Godbole, a small entrepreneur who makes snacks. Shashi enrolls in an English-speaking course to sto ...

'' * 2014

Ritesh Batra Ritesh Batra (born 12 June 1979) is an Indian film director and screenwriter. Batra's Hindi-language debut feature film ''The Lunchbox'' premiered at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival and won the Rail d’Or (Grand Golden Rail). Batra also won the ...

– ''

The Lunchbox ''The Lunchbox'' is a 2013 Hindi-language drama film written and directed by Ritesh Batra. Produced by Guneet Monga, Anurag Kashyap and Arun Rangachari, ''The Lunchbox'' is an international co-production of studios in India, the US, Germany an ...

'' * 2015

Omung Kumar Omung Kumar Bhandula is an Indian film director, and production designer, known for his works in Hindi cinema. He had hosted one of the famous show Ek Minute on Zee TV 90s. He made his directorial debut with the 2014 biographical sports drama '' ...

– ''

Mary Kom Mangte Chungneijang Mary Kom (born 01 March 1983) is an Indian amateur boxer, politician, and former Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha. She is the only woman to win the World Amateur Boxing Championship six times, the only female boxer to ha ...

Abhishek Varman Abhishek Varman is an Indian film director and screenwriter. His directorial debut was the romantic drama '' 2 States'' (2014). followed by the ensemble period romantic drama ''Kalank ''Kalank'' (; ) is a 2019 Indian Hindi-language period ...

- '' 2 States''
Shashank Khaitan - ''

Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania ''Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania'' () is a 2014 Indian Hindi-language romantic comedy film written and directed by newcomer Shashank Khaitan and produced by Dharma Productions. It stars Varun Dhawan, Alia Bhatt and debutante Sidharth Shukla. ''Hump ...

''
Nitin Kakkar - ''

Filmistaan ''Filmistaan'' () is a 2012 Indian Hindi-language film written and directed by Nitin Kakkar. It was screened at the 17th Busan International Film Festival, the Mumbai Film Festival, and the International Film Festival of Kerala, where it won the ...

'' *2016

Neeraj Ghaywan Neeraj Ghaywan is an Indian film director and writer who works in Hindi films. He is the winner of several accolades including a National film Award and two Filmfare Awards. Ghaywan assisted filmmaker Anurag Kashyap on ''Gangs of Wasseypur'' ...

Masaan ''Masaan'' (; also known as ''Fly Away Solo'' in English) is a 2015 Indian Hindi-language independent drama film and starring Richa Chadda and Vicky Kaushal in lead roles. It is Kaushal's debut Hindi film, and is also the directorial debut of ...

References

{{Reflist Producers Guild Film Awards Directorial debut film awards

Winners

2000s

2010s

See also

References