These directors like to face the camera

Here are the top five director-turned-actors in Bollywood

Amole Gupte

Flirting with the camera, either behind it or in front of it, is what a Bollywood fantasy is made of. It is every actor’s dream to direct and, even if you wouldn’t believe it, some directors’ dream to act. With Karan Johar deciding to play a pivotal part in Anurag Kashyap’s upcoming Bombay Velvet , this role reversal is in the spotlight. harshikaa udasi takes a look at some of the directors who have said cheese.

1. Farah Khan

This lady is witty, gregarious and outspoken. She loves to experiment; hence it was not extremely difficult for Bela Sehgal (Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s sister) to convince her to play the role of a middle-aged single Parsi woman in her film

Shirin Farhad Ki Toh Nikal Padi (2012). She teamed up with Boman Irani and apparently producer Sanjay Leela Bhansali would turn up almost every day on the sets just to watch her act. The choreographer-turned-director-turned actress is a mommy to triplets too!

2. Karan Johar

No prizes for guessing which of our listed directors loves the camera the most! Given the chance, Karan Johar would almost take the camera home. With a talk show, reality TV experience and numerous award functions behind him, it was certain that sooner or later Karan would be offered a movie. And who better to work with than best ‘friend’ Anurag Kashyap? It’s Anurag’s dream project — Bombay Velvet — which he is shooting for in Sri Lanka currently along with Ranbir Kapoor and Anushka Sharma. What’s unique is that Karan will play a negative character, reportedly called Kaizad Khambatta. Kudos!

3. Amole Gupte

Amole loves films and he loves acting too. Little wonder then that this director has acted in Vishal Bharadwaj’s Kaminey (2009) as Bhope Bhau, a Maharashtrian underworld don with political ambitions. He followed it up with a minister’s act in Subhash Kapoor’s PhasGaya Re Obama (2010). Amole even acted under his own direction in Stanley Ka Dabba (2011), playing a Hindi teacher known as Khadoos.

4. Farhan Akhtar

It’s so difficult to say what Farhan Akhtar really does — for he acts, directs, produces, writes, and even croons for his films. Rock On!! (2008), Luck By Chance (2009), Karthik Calling Karthik (2010), Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara (2011) and now Bhaag Milkha Bhaag (2013) — this man has an excellent repertoire as an actor. His directorial debut, Dil Chahta Hai (2001), even won the national award.

5. Tigmanshu Dhulia

There was a time, long ago, when Tigmanshu Dhulia would ride a scooter and keep looking for work. Now he is approached by A-listers to work with them. His next directorial venture is the Saif Ali Khan-starrer Bullett Raja . This multi-faceted man made an impressive debut in 2011 in Anurag Kashyap’s Gangs of Wasseypur as Ramadhir Singh. His most recent performance has been as advocate Maqbool Menon in Hansal Mehta’s Shahid (2013).