Zoya Akhtar is a critically acclaimed Bollywood film director. She has played a number of roles in the Hindi film industry including, story and screenplay writer, assistant director, actress, casting director and executive producer. Her works as a director have received applauses from viewers as well as critics winning her many prestigious accolades.

Early Life of Zoya Akhtar
Zoya Akhtar was born in Mumbai on 14th October 1972 to the renowned lyricist, poet and screenwriter Javed Akhtar and famed screenwriter Honey Irani. Shabana Azmi is her stepmother. She is the granddaughter of Urdu poet Jan Nisar Akhtar and the elder sister of another eminent Bollywood personality Farhan Akhtar. She did her schooling from Maneckji Cooper and graduated from St. Xavier`s College, Mumbai, in the Arts stream. Afterwards she attended the New York University Film School for learning film production.

Career of Zoya Akhtar
Zoya Akhtar stepped into the film arena as an actress with the movie Kamasutra: A Tale of Love in which she portrayed the role of one of the disciples of Rekha. In the entertainment world she also worked for numerous commercials such as Finolex and Pepsi. She was the co-director of the music video called `Price of Bullets` from a rock band. Before taking up film direction, she ventured into various arenas of film industry. She worked as a casting director for the movies like Split Wide Open, Kamasutra: A Tale of Love and Dil Chahta Hai. She has also been the assistant director for her brother Farhan Akhtar`s films Dil Chahta Hai and Lakshya. She also worked as an executive producer for Reema Kagti`s Honeymoon Travels Pvt. Ltd., a long-time friend of her.

Zoya Akhtar marked her directional debut in the year 2009 with the Bollywood flick Luck By Chance starring Farhan Akhtar and Konkona Sen. Although the film did not achieve success at the box office, it was very much appreciated by the critics. Her next directional venture was a multi-starrer film Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara in the year 2011. The film featured Farhan Akhtar, Hrithik Roshan, Abhay Deol, Kalki Koechlin and Katrina Kaif. The movie was a huge success both commercially and critically and earned her a Filmfare Award. She has also expressed the idea of directing a sequel of the film. Next in the year 2013 she directed one of the short films of the Bollywood flick Bombay Talkies. She has also written the screenplay and story for the films Luck By Chance, Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara and Talaash. She has also been the producer of the soundtrack of Goliyon Ki Rasleela Ram-Leela. Zoya Akhtar appeared on television along with her brother Farhan Akhtar on the Valentine`s Day charity show of Kaun Banega Crorepati.

Achievements of Zoya Akhtar
Zoya Akhtar won Filmfare Award for Best Debut Director for her directional debut Luck By Chance. For her second film Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara she received Filmfare Award for Best Director, IIFA Award for Best Director, Zee Cine Award for Best Director and Apsara Award for Best Director.

Filmography of Zoya Akhtar