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, is primarily produced in Mumbai. The popular term Bollywood is a portmanteau of "Bombay" (former name of Mumbai) and " Hollywood". The industry, producing films in t ...

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 Chandraprakash Dwivedi (born 26 February 1960) 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 Chanaky ...

– '' Pinjar'',

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

– ''

Kal Ho Naa Ho ''Kal Ho Naa Ho'' (, ), also abbreviated as ''KHNH'', is a 2003 Indian Hindi-language romance film, romantic Comedy drama, comedy drama film directed by debutant Nikkhil Advani, Nikhil Advani from a script written by Karan Johar and Niranjan Iy ...

'' and

Rajkumar Hirani Rajkumar "Raju" Hirani (born 20 November 1962) is an Indian filmmaker known for his works in Hindi films. He is the recipient of several accolades, including four National Film Awards and 11 Filmfare Awards. Hirani is referred as one of the m ...

– '' Munna Bhai M.B.B.S.'' * 2005
''No award'' * 2006

Pradeep Sarkar Pradeep Sarkar (30 April 1955 – 24 March 2023) was an Indian director and screenwriter, best known for directing ''Parineeta (2005 film), Parineeta'' (2005). Personal life Sarkar was born in Kolkata, West Bengal, on 30 April 1955. He wa ...

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

2010s

* 2010

Ayan Mukerji Ayan Mukerji (born 15 August 1983) is an Indian filmmaker who works in Hindi films. A member of the Mukherjee-Samarth family, he is known for his collaborations with actor Ranbir Kapoor under Karan Johar's production banner Dharma Productions. ...

– ''

Wake Up Sid ''Wake Up Sid'' is a 2009 Indian Hindi-language Coming-of-age story, coming-of-age Comedy drama, comedy-drama film written and directed by Ayan Mukerji in his directorial debut, and produced by Karan Johar under the Dharma Productions banner. T ...

'' * 2011

Maneesh Sharma Maneesh Sharma (born 6 January 1980) is an Indian filmmaker who is known for his work in Hindi cinema, Hindi films. He has directed films such as Band Baaja Baaraat, ''Band Baaja Baaraat'' (2010), Ladies vs Ricky Bahl, ''Ladies vs Ricky Bahl'' ...

– ''

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, written by Habib Faisal, and produced by Aditya Chopra under the Yash Raj Fi ...

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

Gauri Shinde Gauri Shinde (born 6 July 1974) is an Indian film director and screenwriter. Shinde made her directorial 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, comedy-drama film written and directed by Gauri Shinde. The film stars Sridevi as Shashi Godbole, a small Entrepreneurship, entrepreneur who makes snacks and sweets. Shashi enro ...

'' * 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 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 and France. It s ...

'' * 2015

Omung Kumar Omung Kumar Bhandula is an Indian film director, film production designer, and television host known for his work in Hindi films. He worked as an art director for the films ''Black'' (2005), and ''Saawariya'' (2007), before making his directoria ...

– ''

Mary Kom Mangte Chungneijang "Mary" Kom (born 24 November 1982) is an Indian Amateur boxing, Olympic boxer, politician, and former Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha, Member of Rajya Sabha. She is the only woman to win the World Amateur Boxing Champions ...

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 Romance films involve romantic love stories recorded in visual m ...

- '' 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 debutant Shashank Khaitan and produced by Karan Johar under the Dharma Productions banner. The film stars Varun Dhawan and Alia Bhatt ...

''
Nitin Kakkar - '' Filmistaan'' *2016

Neeraj Ghaywan Neeraj Ghaywan (born 1980) 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 W ...

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

References

{{Reflist Producers Guild Film Awards Directorial debut film awards

Winners

2000s

2010s

See also

References