Vikas Bahl - Wikipedia 05/11/24, 3:20 PM

Vikas Bahl
Vikas Bahl is an Indian filmmaker, best known
for directing Chillar Party (2011), Queen (2013), Vikas Bahl
Super 30 (2019), and Shaitaan (2024).[1]

Early life and education

Bahl was born and brought up in Lajpat Nagar in
Delhi, his father worked with the Indian Oil
Corporation. After his schooling from Sardar
Patel Vidyalaya and graduation from Ramjas
College, Delhi, he moved to Mumbai to pursue an
MBA degree from SVKM's NMIMS.[2]

Career
Bahl in 2014
Bahl started his career with advertising, working Born 1971 (age 52–53)
for several years in client servicing, before joining New Delhi, India
UTV Spotboy. In 2011, he started Phantom Films, Occupations Film director · Film producer ·
along with Anurag Kashyap, Vikramaditya screenwriter
Motwane and Madhu Mantena. Over the years as
Years active 2005–present
a director he has worked with film directors such
as Vishal Bhardwaj, Anurag Kashyap, Rajkumar Spouse Richa Dubey (divorced)
Gupta and Vikramaditya Motwane.[3]

In 2011, Bahl made his directorial debut under UTV Spotboy alongside co-director Nitesh
Tiwari with Chillar Party and won the National Film Award for Best Screenplay, with Vijay
Maurya. The film also garnered the National Film Award for Best Children's Film.[4] In 2014, he
launched his independent directorial venture Queen, starring Kangana Ranaut, which received
critical and popular acclaim.[2][5]

Bahl's 2015 film Shaandar, a destination wedding film, was a flop and received neutral to
negative responses.[5][6] In October 2014, he directed a short film Going Home, featuring Alia
Bhatt, on women's safety, which went viral on social media.[7][8][9] Bahl next directed a biopic

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on mathematician and IIT-JEE coach Anand Kumar called Super 30,[10] which featured Hrithik
Roshan as Kumar.[11][12]

Bahl then directed Tiger Shroff starrer Ganapath (2023), which he co-produced with Pooja
Entertainment.[13] It was released on 20 October 2023 to highly negative reviews. Bahl’s
direction was also received mixed to negative remarks. Bollywood Hungama in their review
wrote "Vikas Bahl's screenplay is unexciting and direction is not up to the mark. To give credit
its due, he has handled a few dramatic moments well.".[14] Saibal Chatterjee of NDTV gave 1.5/5
stars and wrote "Ganapath is painfully pea-brained pulp that makes a meal of a terribly thin
storyline."[15] Bhavna Agarwal of India Today gave 1.5/5 stars and wrote "'Ganapath' offers
absolutely no respite. If you expect it to get better in the second half as Gen Z are often heard
saying ‘you are in delulu’."[16] Hiren Kotwani of Mid-Day gave 1.5/5 stars and wrote "What
makes Ganapath different from the saviour-hero films of yore is that director Bahl has tried to
make it look like the desi Mad Max of sorts, albeit with unimpressive design and poor
packaging".[17]

Sexual harassment allegations

In October 2018, in an interview with Huffington Post India, a former employee of Phantom
Films accused Bahl of sexually harassing her on the set of the 2014 film Queen.[18] Later, the
film's lead actress Kangana Ranaut, in support of the former employee, also accused Bahl of
sexual misconduct.[19][20] Following this, Nayani Dixit, Ranaut's co-star in the movie, leveled
similar accusations against Bahl.[21] As a result, Phantom Films announced its dissolution on 5
October 2018,[22] largely in response to the sexual assault allegation against Bahl by another
former Phantom employee, which was reported in 2015.[23] The other three founders, Kashyap,
Motwane, and Mantena, all issued statements on Twitter confirming the company's disbanding
and moving on to independent projects.[24] After, Phantom Film subsequently disbanded, and
founders Anurag Kashyap and Vikramaditya Motwane made formal statements against Bahl
and his sexual misdemeanors. Bahl, in turn, sent them legal notices, citing defamation of
character.[25]

Filmography

Films

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Functioned as
Year Title Notes
Director Producer Writer

Aamir No Yes No
2008
Welcome to Sajjanpur No Yes No

Dev.D No Associate No
2009
Ex Terminators No Associate No
2010 Udaan No Associate No

No One Killed Jessica No Creative No

2011 Thank You No Creative No

Chillar Party Yes No Yes Co-directed with Nitesh Tiwari

Lootera No Yes No
2013
Hasee Toh Phasee No Yes No
Queen Yes No Yes

2014 Ugly No Yes No

Going Home Yes No Yes Short film[26]

NH10 No Yes No
Hunterrr No Yes No
2015
Masaan No Yes No

Shaandaar Yes No Yes

Raman Raghav 2.0 No Yes No

2016 Wrong Side Raju No Yes No Gujarati film

Udta Punjab No Yes No

2017 Trapped No Yes No

Mukkabaaz No Yes No

2018 High Jack No Yes No

Manmarziyaan No Yes No

2019 Super 30 Yes No No

2020 Ghoomketu No Yes No

2022 Goodbye Yes Yes Yes

2023 Ganapath Yes Yes Yes

2024 Shaitaan Yes Yes No

Television

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Functioned as
Year Title Notes
Director Producer Writer Creator

2021– Co-directed season 1 with Rahul

Sunflower Yes Yes Yes Yes
present Sengupta
Good Bad
2022 No Yes Yes Yes
Girl

Awards and nominations

Nominated
Award Year Category Result
work
Most Entertaining Film
BIG Star Entertainment Awards 2014 Queen Won
Director

Bollywood Hungama Surfers' Choice

2015 Best Director Queen Nominated
Movie Awards
Best Director Won
2015 Queen
Filmfare Awards Best Screenplay Nominated[a]

2017 Best Film Udta Punjab Nominated

Ghanta Awards 2016 Worst Director Shaandaar Won

IBNLive Movie Awards 2015 Best Director Queen Won

Best Director Nominated

2015 Best Screenplay Queen Won[a]

IIFA Awards
Best Story Won

2017 Best Film Udta Punjab Nominated

Best Screenplay Won[b]

2011 Chillar Party
Best Children's Film Won
National Film Awards
Best Features Film in
2014 Queen Won
Hindi

Best Director Won

2015 Queen
Screen Awards Best Screenplay Nominated[a]

2017 Best Film Udta Punjab Nominated

Stardust Awards 2014 Best Director Queen Won

Best Director Won

Star Guild Awards 2015 Best Story Queen Won

Best Screenplay Won[a]

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a. Shared with Chaitally Parmar and Parveez Sheikh

b. Shared with Nitesh Tiwari and Vijay Maurya

References
1. Bollywood loves Vikas Bahl’s Queen - The Times of India (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.co
m/entertainment/hindi/bollywood/news-interviews/Bollywood-loves-Vikas-Bahls-Queen/articl
eshow/31485691.cms)
2. Gupta, Priya (28 February 2014). "Politics excites me as much as movies do: Vikas Bahl" (h
ttp://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/bollywood/news-interviews/Politics-exci
tes-me-as-much-as-movies-do-Vikas-Bahl/articleshow/31112185.cms?). Times of India.
Retrieved 12 March 2014.
3. "Vikas Bahl's Queen is about a naïve Delhi girl" (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertain
ment/hindi/bollywood/news-interviews/Vikas-Bahls-Queen-is-about-a-nave-Delhi-girl/articles
how/31042319.cms). The Times of India. 27 February 2014. Retrieved 24 March 2014.
4. "59th National Film Awards for the Year 2011 Announced" (http://pib.nic.in/release/rel_print_
page.asp?relid=80734). Press Information Bureau (PIB), India. Retrieved 7 March 2012.
5. "Wouldn't have made the film had Kangana not agreed: Vikas Bahl" (http://timesofindia.india
times.com/entertainment/hindi/bollywood/news-interviews/Wouldnt-have-made-the-film-had-
Kangana-not-agreed-Vikas-Behl/articleshow/32400177.cms). The Times of India. 21 March
2014. Retrieved 21 March 2014.
6. Ankur Pathak (21 March 2014). "Queen and I" (http://www.mumbaimirror.com/entertainmen
t/bollywood/Queen-and-I/articleshow/32388674.cms). Mumbai Mirror. Retrieved 9 April
2014.
7. "Going Home: Vikas Bahl visualises a utopia for women with Alia Bhatt" (http://indiatoday.int
oday.in/story/going-home-vikas-bahl-visualises-a-utopia-for-women-with-alia-bhatt/1/39644
9.html). India Today. 18 October 2014. Retrieved 26 October 2014.
8. "Watch: Alia Bhatt's spine-chilling short film with Vikas Bahl" (https://www.deccanchronicle.c
om/141018/entertainment-bollywood/article/watch-alia-bhatts-spine-chilling-short-film-vikas-
bahl). Deccan Chronicle. 22 October 2014. Retrieved 2 July 2018.
9. "Alia Bhatt shows Utopian world in short film 'Going Home' " (http://indianexpress.com/articl
e/entertainment/bollywood/alia-bhatt-shoots-going-home-short-film-for-women-empowerme
nt/). The Indian Express. 22 October 2014. Retrieved 26 October 2014.
10. "Soon, a biopic on Super 30 founder Anand Kumar" (http://www.hindustantimes.com/patna/
soon-a-biopic-on-super-30-founder-anand-kumar/story-mtqGEtYyOK1Kmdg0xp9zMI.html).
Hindustan Times. 10 May 2016.
11. "Confirmed! Hrithik Roshan to play math genius Anand Kumar in Super 30" (https://www.hin
dustantimes.com/bollywood/confirmed-hrithik-roshan-to-play-math-genius-anand-kumar-in-s
uper-30/story-VpRD33OAD7zhtEbJRiqzxI.html). hindustantimes.com/. 25 September 2017.
Retrieved 24 January 2018.
12. "Hrithik Roshan's Super 30 gets a new release date" (http://indianexpress.com/article/entert
ainment/bollywood/hrithik-roshan-super-30-gets-a-new-release-date-5038545/). The Indian
Express. 25 January 2018. Retrieved 25 January 2018.
13. "Tiger Shroff announces his next action franchise Ganapath; Vikas Bahl to helm first
instalment" (https://www.firstpost.com/entertainment/tiger-shroff-announces-his-next-action-f
ranchise-ganapath-vikas-bahl-to-helm-first-instalment-8985661.html). firstpost.com.
Retrieved 7 November 2020.
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Retrieved 7 November 2020.

14. "GANAPATH – A HERO IS BORN Movie Review" (https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/mo
vie/ganapath/critic-review/ganapath-movie-review/on-the-whole-ganapath-a-hero-is-born-fail
s-to-impress/). Bollywood Hungama. 27 October 2023. Archived (https://web.archive.org/we
b/20231228143915/https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/movie/ganapath/critic-review/gana
path-movie-review/on-the-whole-ganapath-a-hero-is-born-fails-to-impress/) from the original
on 28 December 2023. Retrieved 27 December 2023.
15. "Ganapath Review: Tiger Shroff Bulldozes His Way Through The Rubble" (https://www.ndtv.
com/entertainment/ganapath-review-tiger-shroff-bulldozes-his-way-through-the-rubble-1-5-s
tars-4499424). NDTV.com. Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/20231020224118/https://
www.ndtv.com/entertainment/ganapath-review-tiger-shroff-bulldozes-his-way-through-the-ru
bble-1-5-stars-4499424) from the original on 20 October 2023. Retrieved 20 October 2023.
16. " 'Ganapath' Movie Review: Tiger, Kriti's 'Mad Max'-inspired world deserved better" (https://w
ww.indiatoday.in/movies/reviews/story/ganapath-movie-review-tiger-shroff-kriti-sanon-mad-
max-inspired-world-deserved-better-2451542-2023-10-20). India Today. Archived (https://w
eb.archive.org/web/20231020164447/https://www.indiatoday.in/movies/reviews/story/ganap
ath-movie-review-tiger-shroff-kriti-sanon-mad-max-inspired-world-deserved-better-2451542-
2023-10-20) from the original on 20 October 2023. Retrieved 20 October 2023.
17. " 'Ganapath: A Hero Is Born' movie review – Sad Max, anyone?" (https://www.mid-day.com/
entertainment/bollywood-news/article/tiger-shroff-kriti-sanon-ganapath-a-hero-is-born-movie
-review-sad-max-anyone-23315592). Mid-day. 21 October 2023. Archived (https://web.archi
ve.org/web/20231021041211/https://www.mid-day.com/entertainment/bollywood-news/articl
e/tiger-shroff-kriti-sanon-ganapath-a-hero-is-born-movie-review-sad-max-anyone-2331559
2) from the original on 21 October 2023. Retrieved 21 October 2023.
18. " 'Queen' Director Vikas Bahl Sexually Assaulted Me, Phantom Films Did Nothing: Survivor
Speaks Out" (https://www.huffingtonpost.in/2018/10/06/queen-director-vikas-bahl-sexually-a
ssaulted-me-phantom-films-did-nothing-survivor-speaks-out_a_23552623/). HuffPost India.
6 October 2018. Retrieved 9 October 2018.
19. "Vikas Bahl Would Hold me Tight, Smell My Hair, Says Kangana After Woman Accuses Him
of Molestation" (https://www.news18.com/news/movies/vikas-bahl-would-hold-me-tight-smel
l-my-hair-says-kangana-after-woman-accuses-him-of-sexual-harassment-1900969.html).
News18. Retrieved 9 October 2018.
20. "Kangana Ranaut Accuses Vikas Bahl Of Harassment: Is #MeToo Gaining Pace In India?" (
https://headlinestoday.org/entertainment/3539/kangana-ranaut-accuses-vikas-bahl-of-haras
sment-is-metoo-gaining-pace-in-india/). headlinestoday.org. 7 October 2018. Retrieved
9 October 2018.
21. "Kangana Ranaut's Queen Co-Star Nayani Dixit Accuses Vikas Bahl Of Sexual Misconduct"
(https://headlinestoday.org/entertainment/3564/kangana-ranauts-queen-co-star-nayani-dixit-
accuses-vikas-bahl-of-sexual-misconduct/). headlinestoday.org. Headlines Today. 8 October
2018. Retrieved 9 October 2018.
22. Shaikh, Samina (6 October 2018). "EXCLUSIVE! Anurag Kashyap, Vikramaditya Motwane,
Vikas Bahl and Madhu Mantena dissolve their production company" (https://timesofindia.indi
atimes.com/entertainment/hindi/bollywood/news/exclusive-anurag-kashyap-vikramaditya-m
otwane-vikas-bahl-and-madhu-mantena-dissolve-their-production-company/articleshow/660
92937.cms). The Times of India. Retrieved 6 October 2018.
23. Pathak, Ankur (6 October 2018). " 'Queen' Director Vikas Bahl Sexually Assaulted Me,
Phantom Films Did Nothing: Survivor Speaks Out" (https://www.huffingtonpost.in/2018/10/0
6/queen-director-vikas-bahl-sexually-assaulted-me-phantom-films-did-nothing-survivor-spea
ks-out_a_23552623/). HuffPost. Retrieved 7 October 2018.
24. "Phantom Films Dissolved; Anurag Kashyap Says, 'All Dreams Come To An End'!" (https://w
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24. "Phantom Films Dissolved; Anurag Kashyap Says, 'All Dreams Come To An End'!" (https://w
ww.filmibeat.com/bollywood/news/2018/phantom-films-dissolved-anurag-kashyap-says-all-d
reams-come-to-an-end-278047.html). Filmibeat.com. 6 October 2018. Retrieved 14 October
2018.
25. "Vikas Bahl accuses Anurag Kashyap, Vikramaditya Motwane of defaming him in legal
notice" (https://www.hindustantimes.com/bollywood/vikas-bahl-accuses-anurag-kashyap-vik
ramaditya-motwane-of-defaming-him-in-legal-notice/story-ubzrLGwPxxE3FTQ5kmkKEK.ht
ml). Hindustan Times. 10 October 2018. Retrieved 15 October 2018.
26. Nithya Nair (20 October 2014). "Alia Bhatt's short film 'Going Home' is captivating" (https://w
ww.india.com/viral/vogueempower-alia-bhatts-short-film-going-home-is-captivating-17666
9/). India.

External links
Vikas Bahl (https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2134474/) at IMDb
Vikas Bahl (https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/celebrity/vikas-bahl/) at Bollywood
Hungama

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